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New Zealand match racing ace Nick Egnot-Johnson and his Knots Racing team stumbled at the final hurdle of the inaugural Macao Match Cup, the 2025 World Match Racing Tour opening event.
Egnot-Johnson and his crew of Jack Frewin, Zak Merton and Jorden Van Rooijen were beaten 3-1 in a tense final by Ian Williams and his Pindar by Manuport Logistics team, to continue the British skipper's winning streak following his eighth match racing world championship win in Shenzhen last month.
USA’s Chris Poole’s Riptide Racing team finished third after defeating Gavin Brady (True Blue Racing) 2-0 in the petit final.
The day opened with the completion of the final match in both semi-finals, with Egnot-Johnson securing a 3-0 over Brady, and Williams with a straight 3-0 over Poole.
As the two match racing world champions came together in the final in a repeat of last month’s tour final in Shenzhen, Williams had the first win crossing the line with a solid 100m lead.
Things heated up in the second match with a pre-start collision forcing a penalty on Williams. On the final run to the finish, Williams slowed to set a trap for Egnot-Johnson, but the Kiwi skipper was able to gybe and stay clear to even the match at 1-1.
After another tense pre-start in match 3, Williams was able to carve a narrow lead by the final mark and a slow spinnaker hoist from Egnot-Johnson allowed Williams to take the score 2-1 in the first-to-three points match.
Egnot-Johnson lost a tense final to Britain's Ian Williams. Photos / Ian Roman, WMRT
Egnot-Johnson was in a confident position in the pre-start of the final race, but Williams used the race committee boat as a cover to position for the start. On this first upwind leg, Williams gained a lift to the right side of the course, and was able to point higher - leading around the mark less than a boat length ahead.
Back upwind on leg 3 and Williams stayed to the favoured right side of the track, putting a loose cover on Egnot-Johnson and rounding the final mark with a solid five-boat length lead.
There was no coming back for Egnot-Johnson as the faultless British skipper and team crossed the finish line with a 120m lead to clinch the first Macao Match Cup title and a USD30,000 prize cheque.
“An amazing win for our Pindar by Manuport Logistics team,” commented Williams.
"We have been able to sail well all week and I’m delighted for us to come away with the win at also the first ever Macao Match Cup.”
Full results here.
- with World Match Racing Tour
