Peter Gilmour won what he described as a “fairytale event” when he defeated Russell Coutts 2-1 in the final of the inaugural Monsoon Cup, the 50th event of the Swedish Match Tour.

Gilmour was instrumental in forming the Monsoon Cup, but he’s also a key player on the Swedish Match Tour. He is the only skipper to win the Tour championship twice, and today’s win increased his career victory total to nine.

Gilmour’s crew included Rod Dawson, Kazuhiko Sofuku, Tatsuya Wakinaga and Yasuhiro Yaji. Coutts’ crew featured Jes Gram-Hansen, Christian Kamp, Rasmus Kostner and Jann Neergaard.

The 25 points Gilmour earned for winning the championship moved him into first from sixth in the Swedish Match Tour standings. Gilmour has 48 points and leads Finland’s Staffan Lindberg (Alandia Sailing Team) by 11 points. England’s Ben Ainslie (Emirates Team New Zealand), 30 points, fell to third from first.

In this morning’s Petite Final Sweden’s Björn Hansen (Team Apport.net) continued his torrid sailing and defeated Lindberg 2-0. Hansen won both races outright, although there was a disputed umpire call in the second race. The call could’ve gone against Hansen, but the umpires green-flagged it.

Gilmour and Coutts put on a spectacular final, replete with lead changes, come-from-behind wins and finish line penalty turns.

Finale

Peter Gilmour def. Russell Coutts
Russell Coutts def. Peter Gilmour
Peter Gilmour def. Russell Coutts

Petit finale

Björn Hansen def. Staffan Lindberg
Björn Hansen def. Staffan Lindberg