Mike Golding is FICO World Champion

by Coralie Rassinoux on 8 Jan 2006 Mike Golding was officially ‘crowned’ as FICO World Champion at a presentation at the Schroders London Boat Show. Golding was presented his World title by FICO President, John Lewis.

'I am delighted to have won the FICO World Championship. The talented list of sailors who have won this title in the past is such that it is a great honour for me to now be counted alongside them. This is all the more sweet that it comes at the end of a frustrating year for me,' commented Golding.

With his victory in The Transat in 2004 followed by third place in the Vendée Globe last year, Mike Golding was virtually certain of winning the Championship even before the start of this season. His subsequent fourth place in the last race of the 2005 calendar, the Transat Jacques Vabre, confirmed his position at the top of the rankings. His partners Ecover are also logically crowned FICO World Champion Sponsor thanks to their unfaltering support over the past four seasons.

The irony of the final standings this year is that one of Mike’s closest rivals is none other than the Swiss Dominique Wavre, Golding’s crew member in the Transat Jacques Vabre who also finished just behind him in the Vendée Globe. Dominique finishes the year in third place while Vincent Riou, the winner of the Vendée Globe 2004-2005, just pipped him to second place.

In fourth place is Jean Le Cam, following his fine performance the Vendee Globe (second in Les Sables d’Olonne) and the Transat Jacques Vabre (third in Bahia).

The FICO World Championship 2005 is logically dominated by skippers from the IMOCA monohull class (due to the 200 points awarded to the winner of the Vendée Globe). Michel Desjoyeaux, winner of The Transat and third in the Quebec-Saint Malo and the Transat Jacques Vabre in his Orma multihull, finishes the year in fifth ahead of two other Vendée Globe soloists, Sébastien Josse and Jean-Pierre Dick.

In eighth place comes none other than the skipper of the incredible 50-foot trimaran Crêpes Whaou!, Franck-Yves Escoffier, who has won both the Quebec-Saint Malo and the Transat Jacques Vabre in his class.

The FICO rankings table for skippers takes into consideration the oceanic events of the previous two seasons with two transatlantic races in 2004 (the single-handed Transat Plymouth-Boston and the fully-crewed transatlantic from Quebec to Saint Malo) and four major races in 2005 (Vendée Globe, Faraday Mill Ostar, Route de l’équateur, Transat Jacques Vabre).

John Lewis, President of FICO commented:

'It is a great pleasure for me to present the FICO World Championship Trophy to a fellow anglo-saxon. After competing at the highest level on the professional oceanic racing circuit over many years, Mike Golding has with quiet determination and considerable tenacity, proved to be one of the finest seamen of his generation. He fully deserves this award and the international recognition it brings.'

FICO Championship – Final Skipper Rankings 2004-2005
1 Mike Golding (GBR) Ecover: 282 points
2 Vincent Riou (FRA) PRB: 221 points
3 Dominique Wavre (SUI) Temenos: 221 points
4 Jean Le Cam (FRA) Bonduelle: 209 points
5 Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) Géant: 191 points
6 Sébastien Josse (FRA) VMI: 190 points
7 Jean Pierre Dick (FRA) Virbac-Paprec: 150 points
8 Franck Yves Escoffier (FRA) Crêpes Whaou!: 130 points
9 Conrad Humphreys (GBR) Hellomoto: 120 points
10 Franck Cammas (FRA) Groupama: 118 points

Results for Mike Golding (Ecover):
4th in Transat Jacques Vabre 2005
2nd in Calais Round Britain Race 2005
3rd in Vendée Globe 2004-2005
1st in The Transat 2004
2nd in Calais 1,000 miles in 2004
1st in Atlantic Challenge 2003
3rd in Transat Jacques Vabre 2003
4th in Fastnet Race 2003
3rd in Calais Round Britain Race 2003
2nd in Route du Rhum 2002
2nd in Transat Jacques Vabre 2001
3rd in EDS Atlantic Challenge 2001