Dubai: Ian Williams of Team GAC Pindar got off to a strong start at the Stena Match Cup Sweden on Tuesday, winning all four of his races, including victory over fellow British skipper and three-time gold medallist, Ben Ainslie of Teamorigin.
Sweden's biggest sailing event marks the halfway stage of this year's World Match Racing Tour and is taking place at the Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club on the stunning island of Marstrand. The morning's racing got underway in near perfect conditions with a steady 10-15 knot breeze, clear blue skies and a total of 16 crews, battling it out in the round-robin stages on identical DS 37 boats.
Williams faced local sailor Johnnie Berntsson of the Berntsson Sailing Team in his first race and despite trailing after the last mark, worked hard to catch him, in a tight finish across the line. Race two and four saw convincing wins against Torvar Mirsky (Mirsky Racing Team) and reigning Stena Match Cup Sweden champion, Peter Gilmour (YANMAR Racing).
The race of the day, however, saw Williams face Ainslie in an all-British showdown, with Ainslie taking an early lead followed by some strong tactical tacking up the first beat.
