Williams Awarded Prized Lotus Evora in Recognition of his World Champion Status

London, UK - 16 May 2012: Ian Williams, the reigning and three-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion, travelled to the Global Headquarters of Lotus Cars, the new Performance Automotive Partner to the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, to take delivery of a new Lotus Evora S/IPS, a prize he is awarded with for winning the 2011 Alpari World Match Racing Tour.  

Williams fought off intense pressure from his nearest rivals to capture the World Championship on the penultimate day of the 2011 season and today looked just as eager to get behind the wheel of his new Lotus as he does to get behind the steering of a match racing boat. After being handed the keys, he promptly took the car for some practice laps around Lotus’ test circuit before heading onto the open road.  

Sat proudly on the bonnet of his new Lotus at Lotus Cars Global Headquarters in Hethel, UK, Williams said: “The World Championship title is what every sailor strives for but this is certainly some welcome icing on the cake. It was an incredibly tough season when no single team, all of them world class, dominated so to come out on top and claim our third title was a defining moment in our sailing careers.

“We’re now fully focussed on the season ahead – it’s just a shame I can’t drive my Lotus Evora to all the regattas!”

The Lotus Evora S/IPS collected by Williams is one of the marquee models in a new line of performance cars being launched by the iconic car brand. As the world’s leading professional sailing series with events in Asia, North America and Europe, the deal with Lotus adds yet more spice to the race to claim the ISAF Match Racing World Championship. Not only is the coveted title and the richest prize purse (US$1.75m) in professional sailing at stake, but now also the year-long loan of a Lotus car.

James Pleasance, Executive Director of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour, commented: “Lotus represents outstanding performance, prestige, leading-edge technology and design and a touch of glamour which are all ingrained in the Tour and the wider sport of sailing. This agreement is a further clear indication that the Alpari World Match Racing Tour and its development plan appeals to major global brands and the Tour looks forward to working closely with Lotus to integrate the brand across all the events.”

The 2012 Alpari World Match Racing Tour begins in just over three weeks’ time at Match Race Germany and will feature some of the world’s best sailors, from current and former World Champions to Olympic and America’s Cup campaigners as well as an exciting breed of promising younger sailors from around the world.