The semifinal victory sees Williams remain on track to try to claim a potential record ninth match racing world championship title.
Racing on day five of the WMRT Final in Shenzhen for the 2025 Match Racing World Championship was delayed by extremely light conditions, with racing finally getting underway at 3:45pm local time. Despite the challenging breeze, Williams and his Pindar by Manuport Logistics team showed composure and control to win their semi-final match 3–1 over New Zeland’s Egnot-Johnson and secure the first place in the world championship final.
With the 2025 Match Racing World Championship title and a USD $200,000 prize purse at stake, the regatta has entered its decisive phase. The semi-finals feature four teams from four different nations, underlining the international standing of the World Match Racing Tour and its competitors.
“We did a nice job of staying smooth and fast and keeping it close when Nick was ahead, and we were able to pass him in two of those races. That was the key for us today,” said Williams. “Of course it would be incredible to win three World Match Racing Tour finals in a row and get the ninth one, but it's still too far ahead to look at that. We’re taking it one race at a time, because everything changes so fast here.”
Williams’ semi-final renewed a familiar rivalry with Egnot-Johnson, as the two former World Match Racing Tour champions faced each other for a place in the final. After a long wait ashore for the wind to build, Williams took an early advantage in the opening flight, leading from the start and extending throughout the race to win by nearly 30 seconds.
Egnot-Johnson responded in the second flight, taking advantage of shifting and unstable conditions to level the series at one race apiece. With the semi-final tied, Williams regained control in the third flight, shutting the door in the pre-start and leading throughout to move ahead 2–1.
As the breeze continued to fade and daylight became a factor, the race committee proceeded directly into a fourth flight. Egnot-Johnson led early and held the advantage into the first windward mark, raising the prospect of a deciding fifth race. However, Williams closed the gap on the downwind leg, capitalising on subtle wind shifts. A close encounter at the leeward mark saw penalty flags raised, though no penalties were awarded. Williams emerged ahead and extended his lead over the remaining legs to clinch the race and his place in the semi-final.
In the day’s other semi-final pairings, Sweden’s Oscar Engström continued his breakthrough performance at his first match racing world championship, trading wins with world number one-ranked American skipper and World Tour overall points leader Chris Poole. After four flights, the series stands tied at 2–2 with a crucial decider to determine which team will join Williams in tomorrow’s final.
Poole and Engström will return to the water tomorrow for a decisive fifth race, with the winner advancing to the championship final against Williams.
With one finalist confirmed and the remaining semi-final finely balanced, all eyes now turn to the final day of racing in Shenzhen, where Ian Williams will attempt to secure a historic ninth Match Racing World Championship title.
