Mike Golding Retires From the Velux 5 Oceans PDF Print E-mail
Copyright onEdition 2006At 05:45 GMT this morning, British skipper Mike Golding (ECOVER) telephoned David Adams, Race Director of the VELUX 5 OCEANS, and informed him that he will retire from competing further in the Ultimate Solo Challenge. After the dramatic rescue of fellow competitor Alex Thomson (GBR) from his damaged Open 60 HUGO BOSS during leg 1, Golding suffered the misfortune of a broken mast and was forced to sail into Cape Town. After reflecting on all his options, Golding has decided he will no longer compete in the single-handed circumnavigation.

Commenting on the retirement, David Adams said “We would like to congratulate Golding on the heroic rescue of Alex Thomson and wish him all the best. It is obviously a great shame not to have Golding in this race and we accept his decision not to continue. However, we have five skippers remaining with amazing stories to tell and we will now focus on their adventure. Having sailed an incredible first leg, Bernard Stamm is about to arrive in Fremantle.”
 
“This race has a heritage of incidents that really make it ‘The Ultimate Solo Challenge’. This is an endurance marathon and to complete the course is a phenomenal achievement. Only 162 people have ever sailed around the world solo. The current attrition is indicative of the nature of the sport and the endeavour that the skippers are going to have to overcome to reach the finish line. Many races experience a diminution of entries at sea, such as the 60ft multihulls in the Route du Rhum 2002, which saw three boats out of eighteen finish the transatlantic sprint.”
 
The race has experienced drama, both human and natural, which have catapulted this event into the media spotlight. This event is, and always has been, more than just sport. Solo racing is about endurance and tenacity. The skippers have overcome enormous obstacles to participate and compete in the race. As we have witnessed, no-one can pre-empt or predict how the story will unfold.
 
Commenting on his decision, Golding added, “The decision to retire has been a very difficult one and one that has been taken in consultation with my sponsor, ECOVER. Clearly the timings and costs are a major factor, but from a competitive and safety standpoint there are additional factors that have finally led us to make this choice.”
 
“To win the VELUX 5 OCEANS has been my focus for the past year, but successfully rescuing Alex has put everything into perspective. I would not trade that success for anything else. I wish the VELUX 5 Oceans race organisers and all the competitors, a safe and successful event. I will continue to follow their progress daily.”

Related Items:

  1. British Solo Sailors Finally Reach Cape Town Aboard ECOVER
  2. A Top Performance by Hugo Boss in Velux 5 Oceans Prologue Race
  3. First Night Dramas for Velux 5 Oceans Fleet
  4. Place Changing Opportunities Lie Ahead for Thomson
  5. Amazing Story of Mike Golding and Alex Thomson in the Velux 5 Oceans
  6. Weather Router Jean-Yves Bernot (FRA) preps Alex Thomson (GBR) for VELUX 5 Oceans
  7. Race Leaders Head for the Equator
  8. Alex Thomson (GBR) to team up with Andrew Cape (AUS) in Barcelona World Race 2007
  9. Unai Basurko and Kojiro Shiraishi: Representing Their Nations
  10. The Ultimate Solo Challenge Begins
 
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