MIKE GOLDING

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Former fireman Mike Golding became a full-time pro sailor in 1992 when he was selected as a skipper in Sir Chay Blyth's British Steel Challenge.

 

 

Since then he has risen to become one of Britain's best solo sailors and is among the Vendee Globe favourites.  Golding, 44, is the only Briton to have sailed single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions.  He has lapped the planet five times - three times solo - and raced in the 2001 Vendee Globe, finishing seventh.

 

 

 

Mike Golding

 

 

Golding's dreams of Vendee Globe glory were shattered three years ago just eight hours after the start when his boat Team Group 4 was dismasted. He restarted eight days later and fought his way back up through the 24-boat fleet to finish seventh, and fourth fastest on the water, a feat overshadowed by Ellen MacArthur's second place.

 

In his youth, Golding raced dinghies, keelboats and yachts and competed in his own trimaran Gazelle in the single-handed transatlantic race and Round Britain and Ireland Race. In 1992-93, Golding and his crew of 13 amateurs on Group 4 finished second in the British Steel Challenge by just 70 minutes after 151 days of sailing.

 

The following year he sailed non-stop around the world westabout against the prevailing winds and currents, beating Blyth's record by 125 days and setting a new world circumnavigation record of 161 days. Golding entered the 1996-97 British Steel race - renamed the BT Global Challenge - in Group 4, winning five of the six legs to triumph overall.  Since then Golding has enjoyed success in a host of solo and short-handed races, and has taken delivery of a new Open 60 Ecover as he continues his quest to excel in the solo ocean racing arena.

 

 

 

Ecover racing

 

 

Boat: Ecover
Born: 27/07/60
Lives: Warsash, Hants
Family: Married to Andrea, 18-month-old son Soren
Vendee Globes: 1

 

 

 


 

 

MIKE GOLDING ON ECOVER TAKES THIRD  -    Friday, February 4, 2005 - 05:00 AM 

 

It was at 03 hours 17 minutes and 13 seconds GMT this Friday 4th February 2005 that the 60 foot monohull Ecover skippered by Mike Golding crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe 2004, a single-handed race, without stopovers and without assistance and most significantly without his keel for the finish of the Sables d’Olonne (France). Golding sailed the last 50 miles of the race without his keel.

 

 

 

Cover on the River Thames

 

 

The race time to make the 23 680 miles is 88 days 15 hours and 15 minutes and 13 seconds at an average theoretical speed across the course of 11.13 knots.

References (GMT) :
Start and finish : Les Sables d’Olonne (France)
Number of miles to cover : 23 680 miles
Start date : Sunday 7 November 2004 at 1202 GMT
Date of first arrival : Vincent Riou (PRB) on Wednesday 2 February 2005 at 22hr 49mn 55sec.
Date of second arrival : Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle) on Thursday 3 February 2005 at 05hr 22mn 08sec.
Race time : 87 days 17 hours 20 minutes 08 seconds.
Delay behind leader : 1 day 4 hours 27 minutes 18 seconds.

Mike Golding’s Race (Ecover) :
Passage of the equator (outward trip) : 18 November 2004 at 1500 GMT after 11 days 2 hours and 58 minutes
Passage of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) : 3rd December 2004 at 1615 GMT after 26 days 04 hours and 13 minutes
Passage of Cape Leeuwin (Australia) : 15 December 2004 at 0900 GMT after 37 days 20 hours and 58 minutes
Passage of Cape Horn (Chile) : on 04 January 2005 at 0115 GMT after 57 days 13 hours and 13 minutes
Passage of the equator (return) : on 19 January 2005 at 2130 GMT after 73 days 09 hours and 28 minutes

 




 

 

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