The second event on the 2009 World Match Racing Tour, Match Race Germany begins today. Twelve teams, including Ian Williams and his Bahrain Team Pindar crew will compete on Lake Constance, Langenargen for a share of the US$50,000 prize money and valuable points to boost their ISAF world ranking.

Taking place at the new Match Center Germany, crews will sail in sportive Bavaria 35 Match Yachts in front of an anticipated 30,000 spectators, who will enjoy the highest level of match racing, in addition to a vast programme of entertainment on shore, hosted by Yacht Club Langenargen.

After the first event of the season, the Marseille International Match Race in France, Bahrain Team Pindar are in eighth position and will be looking for good results over the next month as they bid for a hat-trick of world titles.  They face a strong line up at Match Race Germany including four time Match Racing Champion, Australian, Peter Gilmour (Yanmar), fellow British skipper and Olympic hero, Ben Ainslie (Team Origin) and French skippers Sébastien Col (French Team Racing/ K-Challenge) and Mathieu Richard (French Team), currently No 1 and 2 respectively in the ISAF World rankings ahead of Ian Williams in third position.

Speaking from Lake Constance, Williams commented: “We have been training in Gothenburg, Sweden along with our new team member Andy Fethers, so we feel prepared for an intense six weeks on the Match Racing Calendar. We are expecting tough competition at Match Race Germany but will be doing our utmost to secure a good result, ideally improving on our fourth place in the 2008 event.’

In June, Bahrain Team Pindar will compete in three events in quick succession. Korea Match Cup takes place from June 2 – 7, followed by Troia Portugal Match cup from June 16-21 and finally Match cup Sweden from June 29 – July 5.