Historic ninth title for Ian Williams at the 2025 Match Racing World Championship in Shenzhen
Ian Williams (GBR) and his Pindar by Manuport Logistics team of Gerard Mitchell, Richard Sydenham and Jon Gundersen made history today by winning a record-breaking ninth Match Racing World Championship title at the 2025 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) Final in Shenzhen. Williams defeated Sweden’s Oscar Engström 2-0 in a tense, first-to-two-points final, successfully defending his title for the third consecutive year.
After a delayed start to the final day, anticipation was high with three teams still in the running. The semifinal saw a thrilling deciding battle between USA’s Chris Poole and Engström, which was tied 2-2 the previous evening. In a dramatic finish, Engström triumphed after a tense downwind leg, securing his place in the final against Williams.
The final kicked off with a flawless performance from Williams, who quickly established a four-boat-length lead after a well-executed pre-start and upwind leg. Engström, racing in his first-ever WMRT final, and against the multiple world champion, was unable to close the gap, and Williams sealed the first point with a controlled, mistake-free finish.
In the second race, Engström faced immense pressure after a costly penalty early on. Williams capitalized on the advantage, expertly handling the shifts and outmanoeuvring the Swedes to maintain the lead. As Engström struggled to recover, Williams crossed the line to claim victory, completing his third straight World Championship win.
The Swedish team, led by Engström, delivered an outstanding performance throughout the event, finishing atop the Round Robin stage and progressing to the finals, but ultimately fell short in their bid for the world title.
Following the race, a jubilant Williams celebrated with his long-term crew Gerry Mitchell, Jon Gunderson and Richard Sydenham as they were presented with the Match Racing World Championship trophy and a $50,000 share of the $200,000 event purse.
“We love this tour and we love competing” said Williams. “I love sailing with these guys, and of course it’s that much sweeter when we get to hoist the trophy. It’s an incredible feeling to win again – I actually think we sailed better this week than the previous two years. We had a bit of a rusty first day, but since than we’ve been super solid. We’ve taken the knocks on the chin, but we’ve done all we can to win and we’re super happy with that.”
USA’s Chris Poole and his Riptide Racing team secured third place after defeating New Zealand’s Nick Egnot-Johnson in the single petite final. Poole was also awarded overall 2025 Tour Points Champion for the second consecutive year.
The 2025 WMRT championship cements William’s unmatched legacy as one of the sport’s greatest sailors with a record ninth match racing world championship title.
