EVENT
Held every 4 years, The Around Alone is a 27,000 mile race, which on this occasion ran from: Charleston, SC - Cape Town
Cape Town – Auckland
Auckland – Punte Del’Este, Uruguay
Punte del’Este – Charleston, SC.
CREW
Single-handed
SUMMARY
Golding set two world records in the Around Alone in 1998/99. Firstly he sailed the fastest leg ever (a record previously held by Autissier in the last edition of Around Alone) and he also became the first Briton ever to win a leg of the race (Charleston to Cape Town) since its foundation. The competition in this race was fierce, particularly from the French who had won every Around Alone race since 1982.
Preparation for the race had been going well, but 2 weeks before a weather anomaly called a micro burst, which is a very rapid onset hurricane force wind, caused ‘Team Group 4’ and several other boats in the yard to fall from its cradle, causing a great deal of damage. The shore crew had to pull out all the stops, including flying a moulded panel to fit in a 6ft by 6ft hole in the side of the boat.
Golding made the start in good order and went on to win the first leg in record time. On each of the 3 occasions that Golding has had stop-overs in Cape Town, he has won. “It’s a lucky place for me. I like Cape Town a lot!”
Golding was forced to retire at the end of the second leg to Auckland whilst lying in 2nd position, but leading overall by a big margin. Serious keel damage following a grounding at the top of North island proved unrepairable in the time remaining before the next leg.
This race was Golding’s fourth trip round the world and the second time he had done so alone.
Giovanni Soldini went on to win the race overall.
