The fourth event of the 2009 World Match Racing Tour gets underway this week, where reigning Champion, Ian Williams and his Bahrain Team Pindar crew will be competing in the Troia Portugal Match Cup, held at Clube Naval Setubalense from 17-21 June.

Boosted by a second place finish at Korea Match Cup earlier this month, Williams will be in search of more valuable points in his bid to win a consecutive third World Match Racing Tour title. Currently lying in fourth place on 34 points, he is just seven points shy of Adam Minoprio (ETNZ/Black Match) who heads the leaderboard after three events.

Williams has had an intense month of racing, having also competed in the Audi MedCup regatta in Marseille last weekend. Speaking ahead of the Troia Portugal Match Cup, he commented:  “It has been a busy few weeks, but our second place finish in Korea was a great result and the team head to Portugal feeling well prepared for racing on a challenging course. We finished a disappointing seventh here last year, but in 2007 were second, so we know that we can perform well in Troia.’

The Troia Portugal Match Cup, organised by Sun Sailing Team, will see a total of 12 crews compete in the Tour’s purpose-designed SM40’s. Last year’s winner, Sebastian Col (French Team / K Challenge), will be hoping to defend his title but, as well as Williams and Minoprio, will face added competition from the likes of ISAF World No. 1 Mathieu Richard (French Team), Italy’s Paolo Cian (Team Shosholoza), Australia’s Peter Gilmour (YANMAR Racing) and Torvar Mirsky (Mirsky Racing).