Williams, Gilmour, Dunn, Lindberg advance to semifinals of Locman Cup – Elba Island

The semifinalists at the Locman Cup – Elba Island, the final stage of the 2005-’06 World Match Racing Tour, were largely decided on Thursday, but were finalized on Friday.

Ian Williams (GBR), Williams Sail Racing, won the double round robin with 12 points on a 12-2 record. He finished tied with Peter Gilmour (AUS), PST, but because he beat Gilmour twice in the round robin, including today’s thrilling rematch, he won the round robin and the right to select his semifinal opponent.

Cameron Dunn (NZL), Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team, finished third with 10 points on a 10-4 record. Staffan Lindberg (FIN), Alandia Sailing Team, placed fourth with 6.5 points on a 7-7 record. Lindberg received a half-point penalty in the first round due to a collision.

Staffan Lindberg (left) and Peter Gilmour work downwind while Ian Williams (far right) leads Thierry Peponnet upwind in Flight 16. Photo copyright: World Tour/Guido Cantini

For Williams, the round robin win was sweet, but not the ultimate prize. “It’s nice to win the round, but the event title is the ultimate prize,” said Williams, 29, of Hamble, England. Williams said he would wait until the morning to announce his semifinal opponent, but Lindberg believes it’ll be him. “I’d choose me,” said Lindberg. “We’ve had our issues. We didn’t step it up a notch.”

There’s high stakes at play between Williams and Lindberg. They’re battling for second place on the World Tour. Lindberg entered the eighth and final stage in second, 6 points ahead of Williams in fifth.

If Williams finishes two places ahead of Lindberg he’ll leapfrog into second and a $20,000 bonus. Gilmour has already clinched the Tour championship.

Williams, however, nearly gave the lead away to Gilmour in Flight 19, the next-to-last of the round robin. The match was excellent and made tighter because the racecourse was placed under a headland, which played havoc with the wind.

Nearing the top of the first windward leg, Gilmour rode starboard across Williams in a close cross, and then tacked to cover. As he tacked Williams, with a leeward overlap, luffed up. The umpires gave Gilmour a double penalty for the incident, reasoning he had gained control, although he was leading the race.

Gilmour bore off and did his first penalty turn as Williams led around the first mark. Williams opened a sizeable lead, which he maintained rounding the windward mark the second time. But he rounded in a puff that led him to jibe to starboard. Gilmour, about five or six lengths behind, bore away onto port jibe.

Skipper Ian Williams (foreground) looks to the windex for guidance as Peter Gilmour rides a puff to windward and towards the finish line of their Flight 19 match, won by Williams. Photo copyright: World Tour/Guido Cantini

Williams was now in huge lull in the middle of the racecourse, while Gilmour rode a puff down the left side of the run. It was a tense moment on Williams’ boat. “We were sitting there for 30 or 40 seconds with no wind in the sails and watching him come down with 4 or 5 knots boatspeed,” said Williams. “It was a nervous moment.” Gilmour got to the finish line ahead, but still had an outstanding penalty to complete. He did his 270-degree turn on the line as Williams crossed to win the race. “The penalty saved the race,” said Williams.

The penalty saved the race and the round. Williams closed out with a race against local qualifier Giovanni Segnini, who had a 1-12 record at the time. But Segnini won the better side of the start and won the race. That recreated a tie between Williams and Gilmour, which Williams had already secured in his favor.

The Semifinal Round on Saturday is scheduled as a first to 3 points series, same as the final. The event runs through Sunday. The winner will be awarded the Locman Cup and the top team will be awarded the Elba Cup.

Locman Cup – Elba Island Provisional Standings
(After 20 of 20 scheduled flights)
1. Ian Williams (GBR) Williams Sail Racing, 12-2
2. Peter Gilmour (AUS) PST, 12-2
3. Cameron Dunn (NZL) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia, 10-4
4. Staffan Lindberg (FIN) Alandia Sailing Team, 6.5-7
5. Ian Ainslie (RSA) Team Shosholoza, 5-9
6. Thierry Peponnet (FRA) Areva Challenge, 5-9
7. Pierre Mas (FRA) China Team, 3-11
8. Giovanni Segnini (ITA) Locman Sailing Team, 2-12