Vendee Globe...Golding will be next to finish

by Susan Preston Davis on 26 Feb 2001 In his book 'No Law, No God' chronicling his record breaking single handed voyage around the world in 1993/94, Mike Golding called the Southern Ocean 'The ocean I love to hate'. Ironically this time it is the Atlantic Ocean which is proving to be Golding's bete noir - his toughest challenge on the Vendée Globe. Back in '94 Golding, after 100 days, still had the luxury of sufficient supplies of fuel, food and energy. This time round all of these are sorely depleted. Reflecting on his problems the ever reticent Golding, who now has less than 750 miles to go, commented 'it might as well be 7,500'

This morning at the Radio Chat, his team, his mother, sister and young nephews, together with his fiancee - to whom he proposed the day the race started - crowded around speakers in the Vendée Globe Race Village to hear Golding's latest news from on board Team Group 4.

Today at 09:00 hours Golding was averaging 10 knots in 27 knots of breeze and he is now some 36 hours from Cape Finisterre - effectively the final 'corner' before the home straight. By then the forecast is for much stronger wind which should give Golding a fast ride home. If Golding crosses the line before 15:48:49 GMT on Wednesday 28th February he will have beaten Marc Thiercelin's time and be the 4th fastest around the world in this edition of the Vendée Globe.

THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN

Latest Rankings:

1 PRB (Desjoyeaux) Finished: 10 February 2008hrs 32 sec
2 Kingfisher (MacArthur) Finished: 11 February 2036hrs 40 sec
3 Sill Matines & La Potagère (Jourdain) Finished: 13 February 1713hrs 33 sec
4 Active Wear (Thiercelin) Finished: 20 February 1248hrs 49sec
5 Union Bancaire Privée (Wavre) Finished: 22 February 1858hrs 12sec
6 Sodebo Savourons la Vie (Coville) Finished: 22 February 2335hrs 0sec
7 Team Group 4 (Golding) On Feb, 25 at 09:01 UT - 734 miles to finish
8 Voila.fr (Gallay) On Feb, 25 at 09:00 UT - 1006 miles to finish
9 EBP EspritPME Gartmore (Hall) On Feb, 25 at 09:00 UT - 1040 miles to finish
10 Nord Pas de Calais - Chocolats du Monde (Seeten) On Feb, 25 at 09:00 UT - 1521 miles to finish
11 VM Matériaux (Carpentier) On Feb, 25 at 09:00 UT - 1901 miles to finish
12 Aquarelle.com (Bianchetti) On Feb, 25 at 08:00 UT - 2632 miles to finish
13 Aquitaine Innovations (Parlier) On Feb, 25 at 07:00 UT - 3528 miles to finish
14 DDP - 60ieme Sud (Munduteguy) On Feb, 24 at 22:00 UT - 4732 miles to finish
15 Wind Telecommunicazioni (de Gregorio) On Feb, 25 at 09:00 UT - 5724 miles to finish