The 34-year-old Swede Johnie Berntsson won the 20th anniversary ACI Adris Match Race Cup, Stage 6 of the 2005-'06 World Match Racing Tour.

Berntsson, from Stenungsunds Segelsallskap, Sweden (near Gothenburg), completed a wire-to-wire event victory with a 3-1 defeat of Frenchman Mathieu Richard in the final.

Berntsson won the round robin with an 18-2 record and his semifinal round 3-2 for an overall record of 24-5. Richard won the first match of the final but Berntsson won the next three races going away, by no less than four boatlengths.

Berntsson got to the final after defeating Paolo Cian 3-2 in the semifinals. Berntsson held a 2-1 lead after yesterday's opening matches, but Cian evened the series this morning to set up a sudden death match for the final.

Berntsson, however, refused to get rattled. Richard got to the final after becoming the happiest man in Croatia. He took down Gilmour 3-1 in the semis in a come-from-behind win in the deciding race.

Gilmour got Richard on the course side before the start gun in Flight 4, which gave him an early lead. But it was short-lived. Richard quickly got back into the match halfway up the first leg.

Then he got a penalty on Gilmour on the second leg, which turned the match in his favor. He went on to win the match, finishing a half length ahead of Gilmour, which was his highlight of the week.

Finals Results

Flight 1 : Mathieu Richard def. Johnie Berntsson - Peter Gilmour def. Paolo Cian

Flight 2 : Mathieu Richard def. Johnie Berntsson - Peter Gilmour def. Paolo Cian

Flight 3 : Johnie Berntsson def. Mathieu Richard

Flight 4 : Johnie Berntsson def. Mathieu Richard

Flight 5 : Johnie Berntsson def. Mathieu Richard

SF Results

Flight 4 : Paolo Cian def. Johnie Berntsson - Mathieu Richard def. Peter Gilmour

Flight 5 : Johnie Berntsson def. Paolo Cian