HAMPSHIRE’S Ian Williams is to resume his bid for an historic fifth match racing world title when he faces the world’s best at the final of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour.

The Monsoon Cup, held in Malaysia, historically brings the tour to a close in December but was put back two months after organisers moved its location.

Williams, pictured left, a four-time winner of the tour, and his GAC Pindar crew currently top the leaderboard with a six-point lead over arch rival Taylor Canfield.

But with the event offering double the points of normal rounds, this means Williams has to finish within one place of Canfield’s crew to take overall victory.

If he can do that he will become the only skipper to have won five world titles in the tour’s 27-year history.

He narrowly missed out in 2013 when Canfield pipped him to the title.

“We’re six points ahead of Taylor and last year we were ten behind, so it is the same sort of magnitude and whichever team progresses furthest will probably win,” said Lymington sailor Williams.

“Our approach is to try and win the regatta and if we do that we’ll be world champions.”

The Monsoon Cup takes place from February 10 to 14 in Johor, Malaysia.