Ian Williams wins SB3 event at Cowes Week

by Media on 9 Aug 2008
Team Pindar triumphs again at Skandia Cowes Week

Pindar’s World Match Racing Champion Ian Williams today won the SB3 class at Skandia Cowes Week, a great finish to a successful week for Team Pindar, who also won the Artemis Challenge on Tuesday.

The SB3 class is the biggest at Skandia Cowes week, attracting a fleet of over 80 boats. Racing takes place over seven days, with competitors counting six races out of seven for their total score. The format makes for exciting sailing, with racing skill and tactics the most important factors in winning.

Williams and his crew of Mark Nicholls and Simon Shaw were at Skandia Cowes Week in training for the World Match Racing Tour. The team finished 30th in the first race, but enjoyed a dramatic improvement on the second day, finishing in first position with a significant lead of one minute and 17 secs. Team Pindar continued to perform well during the week, finishing either 2nd or 6th in the remaining races and entering the final day with a lead of three points.

In an exciting final race, Team Pindar were in fourth position for much of the competition until a late surge brought them into first place, securing their overall win in the SB3 class.

Williams commented, ‘We are delighted to have won today against an impressive fleet of 83 boats. Some of the guys in the class are very experienced and we’ve spent just two weekends competing in SB3s over the past 18 months, so winning is a fantastic achievement for us. The week has been thoroughly enjoyable and has provided us with an excellent opportunity to race ahead of the Danish Open, where we hope to repeat today’s performance and ultimately increase our lead in the World Match Racing Tour.’

Chairman of the Pindar Group Andrew Pindar added, 'In only their second outing in the SB3s, it just goes to show the immense talent of Ian, Mark and Simon. We are all very excited about following their progress at the World Match Racing Tour in Denmark at the end of the month and then Switzerland at the beginning of September. Its going to be some run in to Bermuda and Malaysia!'

Williams will travel to Denmark on August 27 for the next stage on the 2008 World Match Racing Tour, which he is currently leading by seven points.