Mike Golding Yacht Racing

Mike Golding Friends & Family Newsletter December 2011

Dear Supporters

On schedule, we have Gamesa home in Southampton, wrapped up in time for Christmas, just as we had hoped.

It’s been a long and eventful 12 weeks since the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre in Le Havre, France. My co-skipper Bruno Dubois and I left with a storm in the Atlantic and I came back under threat from a big, bad one. In all my years of sailing, I have never seen weather in the North Atlantic quite like it.

You can see more from my race in the Transat B to B here:

We completed both races with everything intact and learned a lot about Gamesa as we look forward to next year and the build up to the Vendée Globe.  Having competed in three previous editions of solo ocean racing’s pinnacle event, we know only too well how quickly time runs by as you get closer to the race, and so getting back to England with no major problems and nothing significant to do, is a big relief. This will allow us to focus on the next stage of preparations, fine tuning from what we have learnt over the back to back transatlantic races.

I’m back in the office in Southampton with the conclusion that the boat is certainly competitive. For sure the younger generation boats, and perhaps skippers, have their edge on us at different times but we really do know that the Vendée Globe is often not won by the fastest boat in the race. There is a whole range of skill-sets and experience tested, and so validating all that we hoped to – learning about the new rig configuration, the lighter all up weight and the small changes in sail plan – are a relief to the whole team who have worked so hard since the spring to get Gamesa race ready.

For sure when Bruno and I started from Le Havre we were both a bit rusty, just as I was when I took off from St Barts on the first solo race I had competed in since December 2008 (the last Vendée Globe). Yes, it’s like riding a bike, and you don’t forget or miss out on the basics and all those things that come with experience, but it does take time to get back into race mode, the routine and intensity and to a degree the constant stress. You get used to it and that is what I love and thrive on, but in both directions – west with two and east alone – it was a bit of a rude awakening!

The Transat B to B race was a good validation too. It proved to be a long, tough test of speed rather than tactical or strategic racing. And so coming away with a fourth, only three or so hours behind one of the very top French boats (Vincent Riou and PRB), is a decent result and one which brings enough satisfaction to me and the whole team to enjoy the short break we will be having this Christmas.

It’s been an extremely busy six months since Gamesa announced its sponsorship in June. Here’s a quick look at everything that’s happened since the launch of the Gamesa Sailing Team.

2012 will be a busy year, with a World Tour for me, visiting some of Gamesa’s offices, plants and factories around the globe, before we head into the Europa Race a four stop, crewed race starting on 5 May from Istanbul to Barcelona, Spain, Portsmouth, UK and finishing in France in early June. And then it will be nose to the grindstone to prepare the boat and myself for the pinnacle of our campaign: the Vendée Globe.

This gives me the opportunity to thank the team at Mike Golding Yacht Racing for all their dedication, professionalism and support over the past six months. Gringo, Mucky, Tim, Sara, Mikey, Andrea, Ali and Emily are a great team and without them, we wouldn’t be in such a strong position as we are today.

And finally, thank you for your continued support: receiving your messages when racing means a great deal and keeps the motivation going. I look forward to racing in 2012 with you.

Yours faithfully

Mike Golding OBE