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This year the World Tour champion will also be recognized as the ISAF Match Racing World Champion. The champion will win a BMW X3 3.0i from World Tour partner BMW AG and a $30,000 bonus from the World Tour.

GILMOUR had not raced since winning the Monsoon Cup last December. 'I was a little rusty,' he said. 'My starts were rough, my time and distance weren't down pat. But I started nice today [the last day] and won all the starts.'

GILMOUR missed a chance for his tenth career World Tour victory in Croatia, but will give it another go next week at the ISAF Grade 1 Match Race Germany, where he is the reigning champion.

Ben AINSLIE (GBR), a helmsman for Emirates Team New Zealand, remained second with 45 points after not competing in Croatia.

LINDBERG Struggles

Staffan LINDBERG of Finland, the skipper of the Alandia Sailing Team, raced in Croatia but placed tenth and failed to add points to his score. He remains third in the standings with 37 points.

It was LINDBERG's second poor showing at a World Tour event, following on the heels of his ninth in Brazil last March. He feels he has been sailing too much and is rotating too many crewmembers, resulting in a lack of consistency. LINDBERG is thinking about scaling back his schedule for the second half of the year and concentrating on a core crew.

Ed BAIRD (USA) of Alinghi, Gavin BRADY (NZL) of the Beau Geste Sailing Team, and Peter HOLMBERG (ISV) of Alinghi, did not race in Croatia. They remain fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively, with 32, 32 and 29 points.

Ian WILLIAMS (GBR) of Williams Sail Racing, makes his debut in the Championship 8 after placing sixth place in Croatia. He has 28 points and is placed seventh on the leaderboard.

Battle For Eighth

Following WILLIAMS there is a five way log jam for eighth at 25 points. The group includes United Internet Team Germany skipper Jesper BANK (DEN), Dean BARKER (NZL) of Emirates Team New Zealand, Johnie BERNTSSON (SWE) of Team Semcon, Bjorn HANSEN (SWE) of Team Apport.net, and 2005 ISAF Match Racing World Champion James SPITHILL (AUS) of Luna Rossa Challenge.

BERNTSSON and HANSEN both raced in Croatia. BERNTSSON, sailing his sixth World Tour event, won for the 25 points. HANSEN added ten points to his score by placing fifth. HANSEN also placed third at the Monsoon Cup last December in Malaysia.

World Match Racing Tour Leaderboard
(After 6 of 8 Stages)

World Match Racing Tour Schedule
(2005-2006 Season)

* Originally contested as part of the Swedish Match Tour

The World Match Racing Tour is an ISAF Special Event. BMW is a Partner of the World Tour and the Official Car. World Tour sponsors include Sebago, the Official Footwear Supplier, Musto, the Official Clothing Supplier, and Travel Places, the Official Travel Partner.

For more information on the World Match Racing Tour, its competitors and events, visit the official World Tour website - www.WorldMatchRacingTour.com. World Match Racing Tour television programmes may be viewed on demand by clicking on the television icon on the home page of the website.

For all the news on the World Match Racing Tour CLICK HERE.