By Colin Thompson

Sailing Correspondent

Ian Williams, a former King Edward VII Gold Cup winner, etched his name into the World Match Racing Tour history books at this month’s Monsoon Cup in Malaysia.

The English skipper and his GAC Pindar crew won the regatta, the final event on the 2014 Alpari World Match Racing Tour, and captured an unprecedented fifth ISAF Match Racing World Championship in the process.

Williams, who took a sabbatical from his job as a lawyer to sail full-time professionally, defeated 2007 Gold Cup winner Mathieu Richard, of France, in the final to seize a record third Monsoon Cup.

Williams, whose sole victory in the Gold Cup arrived in 2006, clinched the Match Racing World Championship after defeating wild card entry Eric Monnin, of Switzerland, in the semi-finals. The GAC Pindar skipper is now the most successful match racing helmsman of all-time, surpassing the previous record of four, which he had shared with three-times Gold Cup winner Peter Gilmour, of Australia, since 2012.

“It really is a dream come true,” Williams, who became a father three months ago, said.“When I started sailing full-time, giving up my job as a lawyer, I was hoping to win one world championship one day, so to win five is incredible.”

As for his crew, Williams added: “I can’t say enough about the great job these guys did. I’d like to thank the crew for what has been an incredible effort over the 2014-15 season.”

Praising William’s historical victory, Brian Billings, the World Match Racing Association president and Argo Group Gold Cup chairman, said: “Ian’s historical achievement was very impressive and well-deserved.

“He has been constantly diligent in his sailing programme and obviously given up a lucrative industry, which was his law firm, to pursue some goals which he is accomplishing.

“He has done a great job and we are all very proud of him and proud that he has been a part of the Gold Cup and continues to be a part of the World Match Racing Tour.”

Taylor Canfield, the 2012 Gold Cup winner and 2014 ISAF Match Racing World Champion, finished third at the Monsoon Cup after defeating Monnin in the Petite Final.