Oceanracing 2006 - VELUX 5 Oceans

Velux 5 Oceans - Alone-Round the World Yacht Race
www.velux5oceans.com - Übersicht

09:52 UTC 25.11.06
THE MORNING AFTER
Day 34 of the Velux 5 Oceans finds us all with a scenario nobody could have predicted. Thomson calls to abandon ship. Golding goes to rescue. Golding rescues Thomson successfully and then 6 hours later his mast breaks in two places. Now, Thomson and Golding heading for Cape Town: the only safe option left open for the two solo sailors . Hugo Boss is abandoned with a dangerously damaged keel and will soon desintegrate, sinking the Open 60 down to a watery grave on the bed of the Southern Ocean.

Having abandoned his boat Thomson is out of the race but Golding has a call to make. It has yet to be established if he has a spare mast. If he does will he fly it to Cape Town and re-fit his boat and get back on the track again? This is the only solo circumnavigation which he has some unfinished business with. In the 1998 race (formerly the Around Alone) Golding was forced to retire at the end of the second leg to Auckland whilst lying in 2nd position, but leading overall by a big margin. Serious keel damage following a grounding at the top of North island proved unrepairable in the time reindexing before the next leg. But Golding has a good relationship with Cape Town, in fact he married to his wife Andrea there. Golding has said in the past. "It's a lucky place for me. I like Cape Town a lot!" Let's hope when he arrives he is inspired to get back in the race. He is a brilliant sailor, a fantastic competitor and the race won't be the same without him so go to www.mikegolding.com and send him a note telling him how much you want to see him overcome this hurdle and not let this business reindex unfinished.

Golding is not a quitter by nature in the Vendee Globe 2000 Golding was a pre-race favourite to take the race and smash the previous race record. Eight hours after the start Golding, 'Team Group 4's metal rod forestay failed and the mast collapsed. Golding managed to get the boat back to Les Sables D'Olonne for immediate repair. The shore team worked round the clock for eight days in order to restep the spare mast with new rigging and sails.

In an amazing display of grit and determination he fought his way back up through the 20 boat fleet and after 102 days at sea finished 7th on the water and recorded the 4th fastest time for the race. "The worst thing I've had to contend with is me - my own desire to call it a day. You don't pull yourself out of that, you just do it a day at a time and just keep pushing. It's just been a battle against myself, really; whether I could keep doing it or whether I would stop. Even one week ago I thought I'd stop, and most of that was in my own head. I just felt that things were shutting down. Things were breaking and when the genoa failed again it just seemed like too much. But there wasn't an alternative, which is probably why I'm here."

Keeping himself motivated through all the problems and storms and indextaining that strength to see him through to the end of the 2004 Vendee Globe, shows how determined and strong Golding is. He never gives up.

Thomson has bigger options to ponder over but at the moment he will be grieiving the loss of his beloved boat. Thomson is a showman and HUGO BOSS was his stage. Together they were a formidable duo where they entertained corporate guests onboard and sailing fans around the world. The boat HUGO BOSS was a sailing head turner and was dressed in fantastic livery. She dominated the water whereever she was in the world and set tongues wagging. Be it blasting along the French Riviera with the sounds of Monaco Grand Prix vibrating past her shrouds, with the kite flying making 20 knots or charging through the fleets at Kiel Week in Germany. She posed through the Swedish Archipelago and took Stockholm by storm, in Sydney she wakeboarded with stars off her transom and the men in suits at the start of Hobart brought something visually, fresh and exciting to race with boundless traditions and heritage. Thomson and HUGO BOSS together have helped take sailing out to ordinary people who would otherwise not have given the sport a second look.

Whatever they do next they will do it will with style, panache and showmanship. The new HUGO BOSS will be dressed in next season's colours, ahead of the game and provide Thomson with a new stage to wow his fans. He gets knocked down but he'll get up again so keep watching his space. www.alexthomsonracing.com

Click velux5oceans.tv on the left side of the site - click audio - pay your £19.99 and listen to the fantastic interview with Golding and Thomson re-canting yesterday's dramatic rescue. It'll make you laugh and make you cry as Thomson opens up candidly about his ordeal. Don't miss it - it's truly amazing audio!