Taylor Canfield and US One Sailing, the reigning Alpari World Match Racing Tour (AWMRT) champions, will be the team to beat at this month’s Argo Group Gold Cup.

The team are presently on a high having achieved back-to-back victories at the previous two Tour events in Chicago and Holland.

Canfield and his team-mates are second in the World Match Racing rankings and remain on course to defend their world title heading into the final two events of the season.

They trail tour leader and multiple world champion, Ian Williams and GAC Pindar, by six points on the eve of the Gold Cup and another solid showing in Bermuda would close the gap even further, setting the stage for an exciting season finale at next month’s Monsoon Cup in Malaysia.

“Williams is going into it with a 1-1-2-2 and we are going in with a 1-1-3-3 basically,” Canfield said. “So obviously putting another win on the board would make it that much closer going into the Monsoon Cup.”

In order to close the gap on Williams, Canfield must finish among the top two at the Gold Cup, which takes place in Hamilton Harbour from October 21 to 26.

The only way Williams can extend his lead in the series is to win the regatta contested for in the International One Design sloop. Both Canfield and Williams are former Gold Cup winners.

Canfield’s successful 2012 Gold Cup campaign was his first taste of victory on the AWMRT.

“That was a very special moment,” Canfield said. “It was a great event and great to get the wildcard invite that year. I had a great team with me and just sailed well. We had nothing to lose at that point, which was nice without much pressure.

“It’s definitely one of the events we love going to. We’ve had some good results there in the past and hopefully we can continue the streak.”

Last month Canfield and his team-mates defended their Chicago Match Race title and then claimed the Dutch Match Cup in successive weeks.

“We are all really good friends and work really well together as a team,” Canfield added. “It’s all just about keeping it in the moment and once that moment is over forget about it, move on and have a good time.”

All eight 2014 Tour Card Holders will count five scores towards the overall championship, including the Monsoon Cup. The skipper with the highest score at the end of the series will be declared the ISAF Match Racing World Champion.