Team GAC Pindar’s World Match Racing sailor, Ian Williams has got off to a strong start at the Korea Match Cup in South Korea. After three days racing, six wins and two defeats, sees Williams head the leader board in joint first place, alongside reigning World Match Racing Tour Champion, Adam Minoprio (ETNZ/BlackMatch Racing).

Day 1 of the 2010 World Match Racing Tour got underway on Wednesday, with a total of 12 crews competing for a share of the M Won 300,000,000 ($250,000 USD) prize purse. Former Double ISAF World Match Racing Champion, Williams and his Team GAC Pindar crew (Mark Nicholls, Simon Shaw, Richard Sydenham and Mal Parker) began with three consecutive wins, including a significant victory over last year’s Korea Match Cup Champion, Paolo Cian (Team Italia).

On Day 2, a loose rope around the anchor buoy hampered his chances against Adam Minoprio, however it also saw him secure another valuable point against three-time Tour winner, Peter Gilmour (YANMAR Racing).

Today, two further wins against Bertrand Pace (Aleph Sailing Team) and Bjorn Hansen (Hansen Global Team) and a loss to Phil Robertson (WAKA Racing), following a costly jibe, has taken Williams’ tally to 6-2. He now has three more matches to complete in the round-robin stages, in order to confirm a place in the Quarter-Finals.

Speaking from Korea, Williams commented: “We’re going well and it’s been a solid start to the competition. We were unlucky to get our keel caught in the race against Adam, but the team is reacting well to the wind conditions and we’re improving all the time. There’s always a great event atmosphere here, including lots of entertainment and fun stuff for the spectators to enjoy. I think all the skippers are benefiting from the live TV screens too – it’s a great way to follow the action and pick up useful tips from the other competitors, when we’re not out racing ourselves.”

The Korea Match Cup is the third stage of the 2010 World Match Racing Tour and is taking place at Gyengok Marina, in conjunction with the Korea International Boat Show. Conditions so far have been light to medium with a sea breeze building in the afternoons.