ECOVER arrived Cape Town at 19-00hrs GMT Friday

by Coralie Rassinoux on 2 Dec 2006 There will be no disputing who is buying the beers tonight as the Tavern of the Seas, Cape Town laid on a warm welcome for ECOVER's solo skipper Mike Golding and fellow Velux 5 Oceans skipper Alex Thomson as they finally berthed.

ECOVER came alongside the Victoria & Albert waterfront in front of the Table Bay Hotel at 1900hrs GMT.

While they were accompanied by a small flotilla of rescue boats ECOVER required no assistance as Golding and Thomson brought the IMOCA Open 60, sporting her forlornly broken rig, into port themselves.

'I am just very relieved to be here. It feels great. It was quite exciting coming in at 21 knots along the side of Line Head with the Table Doctor giving us a good shove along, racing the rescue boats. But it was nice because we were able to sail ourselves all the way to the harbour entrance and make our own way in. Which is kind of a nice way of rounding this all off. I am very grateful to the weather to allow us to do that. The rescue boats came out to Cape Point and stood by us and we were very grateful for that, but I am actually quietly quite pleased that we were able to take care of ourselves all the way in.' Said Mike.

'It is great to be in. But a bit weird for me. We parked on the same dock and now I am sitting in the same bar drinking the same beers as I did two years ago (after Alex retired to Cape Town in the Vendee Globe round the world race).'

'I owe an awful lot to Mike. I owe my life to him and I am just very grateful that I am here. We started not the best of friends, very fierce rivals, and now I think we are great mates. Despite everything that has gone on this past week, I have enjoyed Mike's company immensely. He has been a fantastic host and I am very grateful to him. I guess I am buying the beers tonight.'