Issue date
By RNZYS
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) is proud to announce that Nick Egnot-Johnson and his Knots Racing team of Jack Frewin, Zak Merton and Chris Main have secured the silver medal at the 2024 World Match Racing Tour Final held in Shenzhen, China.
Egnot-Johnson, representing RNZYS, showcased exceptional skill and determination throughout the competition, culminating in a hard-fought final series of six matches. The team faced some of the world's best match racers, including a challenging semifinal against France's Ian Garreta.
The final match was fought in a thrilling first-to-three series against Great Britain’s Ian Williams who also had an RNZYS member, Jon Gundersen crewing aboard his Manuport Logistics team.
Egnot-Johnson won the first race against Williams, but the British sailor bounced back with two wins, putting him one race away from the title. Egnot-Johnson won the fourth race, leading to a decisive fifth race. During the fifth race, both sailors incurred penalties after a dramatic windward mark rounding. Williams crossed the finish line first, but a post-race hearing penalised him 0.75 points for damage, necessitating a sixth race. Williams then dominated the final race, securing his record-breaking eighth Match Racing World Championship.
Egnot-Johnson faced Great Britain’s Ian Williams in the final. Photos / Ian Roman, 2024 World Match Racing Tour
Reflecting on the event Egnot-Johnson said, "We’ve had a great time and we’re proud of our results, sailing against Ian is always an honour. We gave it our all, and we’re excited to get back on the water in 2025."
Knots Racing team displayed exceptional resilience throughout the event, with a seventh in the round-robin stage, Egnot-Johnson and team rallied in the repechage round to secure their entry into the quarter-finals where they knocked out Sweden’s Johnnie Berntsson.
Egnot-Johnson has had a remarkable match-racing career. As the skipper of Knots Racing, he has led his team to numerous victories on the international stage. His notable achievements include winning the 2022 World Match Racing Tour Championship and being a three-time New Zealand Match Racing National Champion. His team has consistently ranked among the top match racing teams globally, earning recognition for their determination and teamwork, with many of the core team sailing together since their time in the RNZYS Youth Training Programme.
