Records set at Match Racing Worlds

Ian Williams (GBR) and his Pindar by Manuport Logistics team of Gerard Mitchell, Richard Sydenham, and Jon Gundersen made history by winning a record-breaking ninth Match Racing World Championship title, held January 6-11, 2026 in Shenzhen, China. With 16 teams competing, Williams defeated Sweden’s Oscar Engström 2-0 in the first-to-two-points final, successfully defending his title for the third consecutive year.

Racing Far East 28Rs, 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 World Match Racing Tour 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 outmaneuvering the Swedes to maintain the lead. As Engström struggled to recover, Williams crossed the line to claim victory.

Engström had 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, Williams’ team were presented with the Match Racing World Championship trophy and a $50,000 share of the $200,000 USD 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.

Tour details – Season leaderboard – Finals information – Finals results

Founded in 2000, the World Match Racing Tour (WMRT) promotes the sport of match racing around the world and is the longest running global professional series in the sport of sailing. The winner of the WMRT Final will be crowned the Match Racing World Champion.

Source: WMRT