Mike Golding
Encyclopedia
Mike Golding is an English
yachtsman. He is one of the few yachtsmen to have raced round the world non stop in both directions. He held the solo record for sailing round the world
westabout (the most challenging direction for circumnavigation) between 1994 and 2000.
Golding, who is a member of Royal Southampton Yacht Club
, is the eponymous co founder of the commercial company Mike Golding Yacht Racing Ltd, a professional and competitive company whose goals are to compete and win on the water and to deliver. His partner in this venture is Jorgen Philip-Sorensen
.
Golding led the team Group 4 to second place in the British Steel Challenge
in 1992–3. He did one better in the next edition the BT Global Challenge 1996–7, taking first place with a new team of amateur sailors, again onboard Group 4.
Golding came seventh in the 2000–2001 Vendée Globe
solo non stop round the world race having lost seven days to the dismasting of his Open 60, again called Group 4. His present Open 60 campaign is sponsored by Ecover
, a Belgian
ecological cleaning products company which has sponsored his team since 2001. In 2004 he won the IMOCA World Championship and successfully defended his title the following year, in which he also won the 2005 FICO World Championship. In the 2004 Vendée Globe, Golding finished third despite losing his keel — an extremely serious accident which has caused boats in previous Vendée Globe races to overturn almost instantly — on the last day of the race. He sailed the last fifty miles with a tiny sailplan to keep the boat upright.
In October 2006 he started the Velux 5 Oceans yacht race
. He courageously rescued fellow sailor Alex Thomson
in the Southern Ocean, then the yacht Ecover had a mast failure with them both aboard. He announced he was retiring from the race on making emergency landfall in Cape Town
.
In March 2007 Golding announced a technical partnership with fellow British sailor
Dee Caffari
to allow both the UK entries in the Vendée Globe
2008–9 round the world yacht race to work together.
Golding is currently skippering the Ecover Sailing Team
in the 2009 iShares cup, a selection of races all over Europe, sailing catamarans in fast, competitive races against world-leaders in this sport. The races will take place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.
With four races to go in the iShares cup event in Cowes Week (Isle of Wight), Golding's team had a disaster when their daggerboard broke. Incredibly, Golding managed to continue and complete the last four races without his dagger board and finished second in the last race. Despite his daggerboardless achievements,
Golding lives with his wife and son in Warsash
, Hampshire
, near Southampton
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
yachtsman. He is one of the few yachtsmen to have raced round the world non stop in both directions. He held the solo record for sailing round the world
Around the world sailing record
The first around the world sailing record was, logically, set by the first person who circumnavigated the world: Juan Sebastián Elcano and the remaining members of Ferdinand Magellan's crew who completed their journey in 1522. The first solo record was set by Joshua Slocum in the Spray .Most races...
westabout (the most challenging direction for circumnavigation) between 1994 and 2000.
Golding, who is a member of Royal Southampton Yacht Club
Royal Southampton Yacht Club
Royal Southampton Yacht Club is located in Southampton, England. It received its Royal Charter in 1875 making it one of the oldest Yacht clubs in the UK.- Principal Officers :* Admiral of the RSYC - HRH Prince Michael of Kent* Commodore - Colin Lewis...
, is the eponymous co founder of the commercial company Mike Golding Yacht Racing Ltd, a professional and competitive company whose goals are to compete and win on the water and to deliver. His partner in this venture is Jorgen Philip-Sorensen
Jörgen Philip-Sörensen
Niels Jörgen Philip-Sörensen was a Swedish businessman of Danish ancestry.In 1901 Phillip-Sörenson's grandfather founded the United Security firms, which has since became the ISS A/S, and his father Erik Philip-Sørensen later founded the company Securitas AB which evolved into G4S...
.
Golding led the team Group 4 to second place in the British Steel Challenge
Global Challenge
The Global Challenge was a round the world yacht race run by Challenge Business, the company started by Sir Chay Blyth in 1989...
in 1992–3. He did one better in the next edition the BT Global Challenge 1996–7, taking first place with a new team of amateur sailors, again onboard Group 4.
Golding came seventh in the 2000–2001 Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
solo non stop round the world race having lost seven days to the dismasting of his Open 60, again called Group 4. His present Open 60 campaign is sponsored by Ecover
Ecover
Ecover is a Belgium based company manufacturing and internationally trading domestic ecological cleaning products, of which it is the world's most well-known brand....
, a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
ecological cleaning products company which has sponsored his team since 2001. In 2004 he won the IMOCA World Championship and successfully defended his title the following year, in which he also won the 2005 FICO World Championship. In the 2004 Vendée Globe, Golding finished third despite losing his keel — an extremely serious accident which has caused boats in previous Vendée Globe races to overturn almost instantly — on the last day of the race. He sailed the last fifty miles with a tiny sailplan to keep the boat upright.
In October 2006 he started the Velux 5 Oceans yacht race
VELUX 5 Oceans Race
The VELUX 5 OCEANS Race is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed in stages, managed by Clipper Ventures Plc since 2000. Its current name comes from its main sponsor, VELUX, a Danish company. Originally known as the BOC Challenge, for the title sponsor BOC Gases, the first edition was...
. He courageously rescued fellow sailor Alex Thomson
Alex Thomson (sailor)
Alex Thomson is a British yachter.Alex Thomson was helped early in his sailing career by Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London's victorious bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and set up with British America’s Cup campaign TEAMORIGIN...
in the Southern Ocean, then the yacht Ecover had a mast failure with them both aboard. He announced he was retiring from the race on making emergency landfall in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
.
In March 2007 Golding announced a technical partnership with fellow British sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
Dee Caffari
Dee Caffari
Denise "Dee" Caffari MBE is a British sailor, and in 2006 became the first woman to sail single-handedly and non-stop around the world "the wrong way"; westward against the prevailing winds and currents...
to allow both the UK entries in the Vendée Globe
Vendée Globe
The Vendée Globe is a round-the-world single-handed yacht race, sailed non-stop and without assistance. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years....
2008–9 round the world yacht race to work together.
Golding is currently skippering the Ecover Sailing Team
Ecover Sailing Team
The Ecover Sailing team is competing in the iShares Cup 2009, showcasing world class racing around Europe. The races take place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.-Sponsors:...
in the 2009 iShares cup, a selection of races all over Europe, sailing catamarans in fast, competitive races against world-leaders in this sport. The races will take place in Venice, Hyères, Cowes, Kiel, Amsterdam and Almeria.
With four races to go in the iShares cup event in Cowes Week (Isle of Wight), Golding's team had a disaster when their daggerboard broke. Incredibly, Golding managed to continue and complete the last four races without his dagger board and finished second in the last race. Despite his daggerboardless achievements,
Golding lives with his wife and son in Warsash
Warsash
Warsash is a village in southern Hampshire, England, situated at the mouth of the River Hamble, west of the area known as Locks Heath. Boating plays an important part in the village's economy, and the village has a sailing club...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, near Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
.