Vendee Globe Report from Golding's camp

by Susan Preston Davis on 18 Feb 2001 WIND FEAST OR FAMINE FOR GOLDING




The last part of the Vendee Globe Race has proven to be very much feast or
famine, in wind terms, for Mike Golding on Team Group 4. Just two days ago
Golding reported that he had '40 knots of wind on the nose' and was trying
to slow the boat so that nothing would break. Yesterday there was so
little wind that Golding was sailing at speeds of less than 1 knot for much
of the day.

In a call to his Shore Team this morning, Golding reported that Team Group
4 is now sailing at 17 knots, straight at the finish line, and that he
hoped to have good wind for at least two more days. By tomorrow Team Group
4 should have less than 2,000 miles left to sail in a race which has proven
to be Golding's most difficult challenge.

Dogged by the lost of his original rig on the first night of the race,
Golding had to summon all his reserves of mental strength and determination
in order to motivate himself to restart the race 8 days and 4 hours after
the fleet.
It is a testament to the courage and persistence of this former Firefighter
that he can still finish the Vendee Globe 4th fastest on elapsed time,
despite this enormous setback.

Every day the teamgroup4.com website receives messages from well-wishers
worldwide who have watched Golding work his way from 24th to 8th position
in the fleet and have offered him encouragement and support through the
difficult problems he has encountered due to lack of fresh water and fuel
and broken rigging.
Golding's growing band of supporters are now willing him on to the finish
line - just a few tantalising days away.