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Brit yachtsman Mike Golding awarded an OBE
"I am delighted to have been awarded such an honour"
samedi 30 décembre 2006 –
In 1994, he established a new world record Record #sailingrecord for the same east about circumnavigation, only this time alone. In doing so, he became only the second person to successfully complete this voyage bettering Chay Blyth’s original time by more than 125 days - a record Record #sailingrecord Golding held for seven years.
In 1996/7, Mike won the BT Global Challenge round the world race, leading an amateur crew to victory in five of the six legs and achieving a combined lead of more than two days on his nearest rival.
In 1998, Golding and the entrepreneur Jørgen Philip-Sørensen CBE set up Mike Golding Yacht Racing to create and manage a commercial grand prix sail racing team. In that year, Golding commissioned the build of the team’s first Open 60 yacht and became the first British person to professionally manage an Open 60 campaign operating out of the UK.
In the same year, Mike was elected as Vice President of the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA Imoca #IMOCA ) and later became President of the IMOCA Imoca #IMOCA Technical Committee where he has been instrumental in the ongoing development of the Open 60 class rules, principally concerned with the safety aspects of a developmental class.
2001 saw the start of Golding’s successful partnership with the ecological cleaning products manufacturer Ecover ; a partnership that has involved the establishment of an Academy for Youth Sailors from around the world.
During that year, Golding became the first person to have sailed around the world in both directions and the only British person ever to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions.
Representing Britain over the last decade, Golding has consistently been at the forefront of the professional Open 60 class, achieving podium positions in major events and setting three new world sailing records in the process.
Mike was FICO world champion 2005/6 and IMOCA world champion for two successive years 2004/5 and 2005/6 ; the first and only British sailor to hold this coveted title.
Golding is an Ambassador for the Royal Yachting Association and British Marine Marine Marine nationale Federation’s Green Blue environmental awareness programme and has led initiatives to bring yachting and business together through high profile international sailing events starting from the UK.
Golding recently commissioned the design and build of a new Open 60 yacht with which he will compete in the IMOCA circuit culminating in 2008 in the Vendée Globe, the third time he has entered this gruelling non-stop solo around-the-world race.
Born in Great Yarmouth, Golding spent 12 years as a Fire Officer in the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service before pursuing his passion for sailing on a full-time basis.
Commenting on his OBE, Golding said : "I am delighted to have been awarded such an honour. I first learned of my nomination for an OBE while I was participating in the Velux 5 Oceans Velux 5 Oceans #Velux5Oceans race when my wife Andrea rang me with news of the letter from No 10. At that time I was having a fairly tough time of it in the South Atlantic - my shore team must have wondered why I was in such amazingly good spirits !
I love what I do and have always considered it an honour to be afforded the opportunity of competing at the very highest level in international offshore racing. Sailing is a tough and complex sport that requires huge commitment not only from me as the sailor, but also my sponsors, team and family. I thank them all for their continued support.
As for the future - I fully intend to continue to contribute, where able, to the sport of yacht racing, a sport that has given me so much fulfilment since childhood."
Rod Carr, Chief Executive The Royal Yachting Association : "Mike is a truly outstanding offshore sailor who ranks among the very best in the world. He is a popular competitor both at home and abroad, where he is renowned for his tenacity, dogged determination and outstanding seamanship. Mike is involved in many aspects of sailing, and has been instrumental in developing the sport both within the UK and internationally. His contribution to the sport has been immense".
Jørgen Philip-Sørensen CBE : "I first met Mike when I sponsored the yacht he skippered during the British Steel Challenge 1992/3. Since that time I have encouraged his endeavours and watched him develop into one of the world’s finest offshore sailors. Mike’s passion for the sport is infectious and has inspired me in many ways. I am proud to have partnered him in his diverse sailing challenges and am absolutely delighted to see his achievements and contribution to the sport recognised through this honour".
Press info Coralie Rassinoux / www.mikegolding.com
About Mike Golding
Skipper of ECOVER and Managing Director of Mike Golding Yacht Racing Ltd
Sailed around the world five times ; three times solo ; three times east- about
Crossed the Equator 17 times
Rounded Cape Horn five times
First person to have raced around the world in both directions (1993/4 and 2000/1)
Only British person ever to sail single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions (1993/4 and 2000/1)
First British IMOCA World Champion (2004/5 and 2005/6)
FICO World Champion (2005/6)
World Records
Single-handed non-stop record breaking circumnavigation east to west against the prevailing winds and currents (record held 1994 -2001)
Record holder of fastest single-handed monohull crossing of South Pacific Ocean - 16 days 5 hours 26 minutes - set in 2005
Record holder of the fastest single-handed monohull crossing of Indian Ocean - 14 days 2 hours 1 minute - set in 2004
Record holder of the fastest single-handed transatlantic crossing east-west - 12 days, 15 hours - set in 2004
Record holder of the SNSM Record in the Open 60 IMOCA Class for the crossing from Saint -Nazaire to Saint-Malo - 1 day 8 hours 48 minutes 35 seconds
Synopsis of principal career events
British Steel Challenge
1992/3 - second place.
Record for fastest crewed west-about circumnavigations with stops
Group 4 Global Challenge
1993/4 beat Sir Chay Blyth’s world record for single-handed, non-stop around the world against prevailing winds and tides by 125 days, held the record for 7 years
British Admiral’s Cup Team
Selected following trials to skipper the Mumm 36 in the British Admirals Cup team in 2004.
BT Global Challenge
1996/7 - first place. Won five out of six legs
Transat Jacques Vabre
1999 - third place (Co-skipper - Ed Danby)
2001 - second place (Co-skipper - Marcus Hutchinson)
2003 - third place (Co-skipper - Brian Thompson)
2005 - fourth place (Co-skipper - Dominique Wavre)
Vendée Globe
2000/1 - seventh place.
Set course record for 4th fastest time despite dismasting & restarting race eight days after fleet
2004/5 - third place.
Completed the race without a keel, following total loss of his keel 50 miles from finish line
Route du Rhum
2002 - second place. Broke event monohull record by two days
Calais Round Britain and Ireland
2003 - third place
2005 - second place
Défi Atlantique
2003 - first place
The Transat
2000 - third place
2004 - first place. Set new east-west transatlantic record
SNSM Record
2005 - Winner
Crewed from Saint-Nazaire to Saint-Malo
Record holder in the Open 60 IMOCA Class : 1 day 8 hours 48 minutes 35 seconds
The Velux 5 Oceans
2006/7 - retired from race following rescue of fellow competitor, Alex Thomson, and subsequent dismasting in the Southern Ocean
Dans la même rubrique
VELUX 5 OCEANS : Robin Knox-Johnston : "It was much easier 38 years ago"
Velux 5 Oceans : Bernard Stamm finishes leg 1 with a commanding lead
Velux 5 Oceans : Alex Thomson capsizes in the Southern Ocean
Route du Rhum : Brit Sharp wins Class 40 first top transat
