Ian Williams (GBR) and Team Pindar are so far undefeated in Brazil, along side World Match Race veteran Magnus Holmberg (SWE) who shares the top of the leader board, also on three wins.

Sunshine and a steady 10-12 knot easterly breeze gave the perfect start to the first day of match race competition in the Brasil Sailing Cup – the year’s first event of the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

Williams, the reigning WMRT leader and World Champion, had his hands full in his match against Torvar Mirsky (AUS). An aggressive pre-start saw Williams penalized early on, but with 30 seconds left to the start, an infringement by the young Australian resulted in a Red Flag immediate penalty.

“[It was] a good day today but it wasn’t all straight forward,’ explained veteran Holmberg. ‘We had a tough match against Adam Minoprio, he won the start and led round the first mark…It was close at the last mark and we just managed to pass him down the run to the finish.” Minoprio (NZL) of Emirates Team New Zealand – BlackMatch Racing, is one of several new talents entering the WMRT competition.

Among the six teams in Group B, Paolo Cian (ITA) of Team Shosholoza and Bjorn Hansen (SWE) of Alandia Sailing Team emerged undefeated in their two races of the day.

Results:

Group A
Ian Williams, Team Pindar 3-0
Magnus Holmberg, Victory Challenge 3-0
Torvar Mirsky, Mirsky Racing Team 2-1
Adam Minoprio, Emirates Team New Zealand, BlackMatch Racing 1-2
Daniel Glomb, Team Bravissimo 0-3
Juan Grimaldi, Giant Sailing Team 0-3

Group B
Paolo Cian, Team Shosholoza 2-0
Bjorn Hansen, Alandia Sailing Team 2-0
Pierre Antoine Morvan, Equipe de France espoir de match racing 1-1
Mattias Rahm, Stenna Bulk Sailing Team 1-1
Peter Wibroe, Wibroe Sailing Team 0-2
Henrique Haddad, Tag Heuer Sailing Team 0-1

For more information about the World Match Racing Tour, visit www.worldmatchracingtour.com .