Vendée Globe

A man, a boat and the ocean. This solo challenge was popularised by those disciples who followed in the footsteps of Eric Tabarly, but actually has its origins in the U.K. and was due to inspired voyages of a certain Blondie Hasler.

And if now, in the wake of the popular success of Ellen MacArthur, new generations of solo yachtsmen and yachtswomen sail under the British flags come to compete against French and other international sailors in great solo ocean races, it will be due in part to Mike Golding. Mike dared to stray from the traditional anglo saxon routes for more than 15 years by learning from the opposition how to triumph against the open oceans.
Mike Golding is a true trailblazer, a former fireman from the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service who has given so many British sailors the taste of single-handed victory in long-distance racing. 5 round the world voyages, 3 of which were single-handed and one against the prevailing winds. By joining the class of 60-foot open boats in 1997, he became the wolf entering the French sheep-fold. While his first 60-foot Open «Team Group 4» was designed by a French team (Finot-Conq), in 2003 it was an English design office, Owen Clarke Design Group, which listened to the needs and wants of Golding and drew his current Ecover. Mike offered wanted a boat to suit his needs: powerful, strong, stiff and devoid of any eccentric elements. He fully appreciated the demands and constraints of a circumnavigation. His Ecover must be an extension of himself, aggressive in quiet weather, offering safety in the depth of the storm, and like him showing dogged determination and no signs of suffering. He has an efficient team and his professional project perfect. Golding is at one in this high level sponsored sport.
His ambitions in this race were clear: to win, to forget the memory of a lost mast after only 8 hours of racing in the 2000 edition of the Vendée Globe.
By winning The Transat in June 2004, Mike gave a foretaste of what he could achieve and came into this race wearing the jersey of the favourite. His Ecover impressed, but not as much as the skipper himself though, with his ability to sail quickly and well in the worst of weather in this high stress game of endurance and mental challenges, the Englishman proved be tough.
With intelligence, he judged, measured and did not underestimate the competition. Sure of his strength and his determination in the face of any problem, he set out from Les Sables d’Olonne on 7th November with the conviction that he had left nothing to chance and without the smallest amount of compromise. Perhaps a shadow flickered across the face of this former rugby player, that of his young 18-month old son, Soren.

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