Team Pindar’s Ian Williams yesterday claimed his first victory of the 2008 World Match Racing Tour, with a convincing 3-0 win over Sebastian Col (French Match Racing Team/K-Challenge) in the final of the Danish Open in Frederikshavn. The victory sees Williams retain the top spot on the leaderboard with 72 points, extending his lead to 15 points, with four events remaining.
 
Having won the Round Robin stages, with 8 race wins, the British skipper and his Team Pindar crew elected to take on Sweden’s Johnie Berntsson (Berntsson Sailing Team) in the semi-final. It was a bold move for Williams, who had lost to Berntsson on Thursday, however the decision paid off as the crew sealed a 3-1 victory, following a 1-1 tie overnight, to secure a place in the final.
 
Sunday saw the lightest conditions of the competition all week, with the final being contested in winds of 8-10 knots. Having gained the advantage over Col after the first cross in each race, Team Pindar was able to draw away, making it five wins from five for the day.
 
Speaking after the final Williams commented: “We’re delighted. We’ve performed consistently well all season with a 2nd, 3rd and 4th from four events, so it feels great to add a win. Everything just clicked and today, for probably the first time all season, I felt we really raced like world champions. We’ve an intensive few weeks racing ahead but the crew are in great shape and we’re looking forward to St Moritz next week.”
 
A total of 12 crews from 7 countries competed for a share of the $100,000 prize money at The Danish Open. The event, which drew record crowds, took place under blue skies all week, off the Jutlandic peninsula.
 
Chairman of the Pindar Group, Andrew Pindar who attended the event commented:
“Ian and the crew have been training very hard over the last few months, which is reflected by their consistent results on the water. To win in Denmark is especially sweet, on the doorstep of one of our main rivals, as we continue to expand the Pindar business network throughout Scandinavia. ”
 
The action resumes next week for the sixth event of the tour at the St Moritz Match Race, which takes place from 2-7 September.
 
For more information, please visit: www.teampindar.com
 
Picture caption:
Team Pindar (from left to right): Mark Nicholls, Richard Sydenham, Mal Parker, Simon Shaw, Ian Williams
Picture credit: World Match Racing Tour