Ian Williams wins the Bermuda Gold Cup

Eric MONNIN raises both fists in exultation after defeating
James SPITHILL in the quarter-finals:© Gold Cup/Charles ANDERSON

Ian Williams has won the 58th annual King Edward VII Gold Cup with a 3-1 defeat of Mathieu Richard in the final. Williams grabbed the lead on the first upwind leg and never gave Richard an option to pass.
The championship is Williams’ first event win on the World Tour in two tries. He also made the final of the Elba Cup in July, but lost.
Mathieu Richard pulled a stunning comeback in Flight 3 to keep the final of the Gold Cup alive. The race looked glum for Richard at the start, who was pushed over the line early by Ian Williams and also had a penalty from a pre-start incident. But he stayed patient, unloaded the penalty approaching the leeward mark, and then gained big separation on the second upwind leg to pass Williams on the right side. Richard then extended to a roughly 40 second lead at the third windward mark for an easy run to the finish.

Bermudian Blythe Walker pulled a similar Houdini act in the Petite Final. Carrying a pre-start penalty, Walker took the lead shortly after the start. The match was close for the first of the three laps, but he slowly extended on the second upwind leg. At the third windward mark he led by almost one minute. All that was left was for him to complete his penalty turn at the finish line, which was easily done for a 3-2 victory over Eric Monnin and third place overall. Monnin finishes fourth overall.