Mike Golding pushes up the fleet in the Vendee Globe

by Susan Preston on 9 Jan 2001 Now back on line, Mike Golding reports that things on board Team Group 4
continue to improve. He has now managed to repair his autopilots and the
watermaker - both had been major causes for concern. He has also solved
his Sat B problem by 'taking the lid off and filing a bent rack' - not a
method of repair suggested in the handbook we think! He commented that
'the boat is in better condition now than any time in the last 2 months'

Unable to get any further south Golding is currently at -52.31 degrees,
further north than the bunch of boats ahead of him, several of which are
moving very slowly at the moment according to their radio chat with race
headquarters this morning,. Golding has some 15 - 20 knots of breeze and
was averaging 11 knots when he made contact this afternoon. These
conditions are likely to remain stable for the next 24 to 36 hours.