2025 Macao Match Cup - Overall
by WMRT 13 Jan 19:32 NZDT
8-12 January 2025
Great Britain's Ian Williams and his Pindar by Manuport Logistics Team of Richard Sydenham, Jon Gundersen and Gerry Mitchell have been crowned champions of the inaugural Macao Match Cup, the opening event of the 2025 World Match Racing Tour.
Williams defeated New Zealand's Nick Egnot-Johnson and his Knots Racing crew 3-1 in a tense final to continue the British skippers' winning streak following his eighth match racing world championship win in Shenzhen last month. USA's Chris Poole's Riptide Racing team finished third after defeating Gavin Brady/ True Blue Racing 2-0 in the Petit-final.
The day opened with the completion of the final match in both semi-finals, with Egnot-Johnson securing a 3-0 over USA's Gavin Brady, and Williams with a straight 3-0 over the USA's Chris Poole.
As the two match racing world champions came together in the final in a repeat of last month's tour final in Shenzhen, it was Williams with the first win crossing the line with a solid 100m lead.
Things heated up in the second match with a pre-start collision forcing a penalty on Williams. On the final run to the finish, Williams slowed to set a trap for Egnot-Johnson, but the Kiwi skipper was able to gybe and stay clear to even the match at 1-1.
After another tense pre-start in match 3, Williams was able to carve a narrow lead by the final mark and a slow spinnaker hoist from Egnot-Johnson allows Williams to take the score 2-1 in the first-to-three points match.
The final race was an all or nothing chance for Egnot-Johnson who can't afford a mistake. In the pre-start, Egnot-Johnson was in a confident position but Williams uses the race committee boat as a cover to position themselves for the start.
On this first upwind leg, Williams gained a lift to the right side of the course, and was able to point higher. Williams leads around the mark less than a boat length ahead.
Back upwind on leg 3 and Williams stays to the favoured right side of the track putting a loose cover on Egnot-Johnson and rounding the final mark with a solid 5 boat length lead.
There was no coming back for Egnot-Johnson as the faultless British skipper and team crossed the finish line with a 120m lead to clinch the first Macao Match Cup title and a USD30,000 prize cheque.
"An amazing win for our Pindar by Manuport Logistics team" commented Williams "We have been able to sail well all week and I'm delighted for us to come away with the win at also the first ever Macao Match Cup."
Live race results at www.matchracingresults.com
For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, visit www.wmrt.com and via social media at Facebook and Instagram @wordmatchracingtour.