Sailing: Golding has a golden glow
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The anxieties and aspirations of one of Britain's leading solo sailors have been studied for years as he has matured into a respected veteran. But, even though the weather responded to his bright mood, he really had no right to be relaxed.
On the way to start his fourth Transat Jacques Vabre, which eventually began in sunshine on a 20-knot, blustery afternoon, he has often had to come back from cruel fate. He ran aground on the northern tip of New Zealand when leading the Around Alone and was dismasted just eight hours into the 2000 Vendée Globe.
He saw his chances of winning the Vendée disappear four years later when, coming back north up the Atlantic, he suffered repeated breakages of his mainsail halyard and then had to hang on when his keel fell off just hours from the finish. Not only did he hang on but he also kept his third place. To finish the Vendée at all warrants celebration. To be in the top three is a major achievement. Just ask Ellen MacArthur, who shot to fame when second in 2000.
Golding had started as VG favourite in 2004 and did so again yesterday for this 4,340-mile trip to Salvador da Bahia in Brazil. This was despite having among the 11 monohulled boats against him - the multihulls start today - the formidable partnership of Jean-Pierre Dick and Loick Peyron, plus MacArthur teaming up with Roland Jourdain. Last time, in 2003, he was leading when another gear problem allowed Dick to grab victory.
In the last few days Golding has spent a lot of time on very long-distance telephone calls. He has only a few weeks to set up a brand new race, the China Cup, from London to Shanghai next March. He also has to work with a new co-skipper in Dominique Wavre of Switzerland.
"We are like old warriors. We have learned to be competitive since childhood, and the goal is to win," says Wavre as Golding chimes in: "I know the way Dominique sails, he sails like me. The weather pattern looks pretty normal, despite the world seemingly lurching from one catastrophe to another, and we know the first 48 hours could be rough. So, we are looking for a good start and are relying on our own weather routing analysis, rather than using outsiders."
True to form, Golding made a very conservative start, crossing the line 11th out of the 12 as Bernard Stamm roared out of the blocks chased by Herve Laurent and Jean le Cam.
But by the first turning mark he was in the lead, followed by MacArthur. Brian Thompson, partnered by Will Oxley, was fifth, with another British woman campaigner, Miranda Merron, partnering Anne Liardet, sixth.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments