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The Knots Racing team from New Zealand have won their first grade 1 regatta, beating the defending champions and world No 2 in the final of Match Race Germany.
It was the first time Nick Egnot-Johnson and his crew of Sam Barnett, Zak Merton, Tim Snedden and Bradley McLaughlin had participated in the German Grand Prix event. They beat defending champion and world No 2 Eric Monnin and his Capvis Swiss Match Race Team by 3-2 in a tense final.
Egnot-Johnson is currently ranked 15th in the world and he's made steady progress up the rankings since putting the Knots Racing team together about 18 months ago. They turned heads at this year's Congressional Cup on their way to a fifth-placed finish and this result will earn more attention as they emerged victorious among a field of 10 teams from eight countries.
"We have won Match Race Germany," Knots Racing said on their Facebook page. "Our first grade 1 win. The varying conditions and heavy boats made the racing challenging and interesting."
More than 20,000 spectators gathered to watch the conclusion to five days of world-class sailing at the 22nd edition of Match Race Germany sailed on Lake Constance.
Egnot-Johnson is now third in the Match race Super League standings.
The Knots Racing team now head to Medemblik to race in M32 Series.
Final standings after Match Race Germany recently:
1st: Nick Egnot-Johnson, NZL, Knots Racing
2nd: Eric Monnin, SUI, Capvis Swiss Match Race Team
3rd: Max Gurgel, GER (Hamburg), VmaxYachting
4th: Dejan Presen, SLO, Lumba Match Race Team
5th: Will Boulden, AUS, Alpha Racing Team
6th: Max Trippolt, AUT, Team Segelmanufactur
7th: Emil Kjaer, DEN, Downhill Sailing Team
8th: Lukasz Wosinski, POL, HRM Racing Team
9th: Patryk Zbroja, POL, KS Dobra Marina Szczecin
10th: Szymon Jablkowski, POL, Jablkowski Sailing Team
