Monday 4 December, 2006
MIKE GOLDING RETIRES FROM THE VELUX 5 OCEANS
British skipper will not continue after breaking mast
At 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 reindexing 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."
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