Winding up the EDS

With five finished and one remaining in the EDS Atlantic Challenge

Kingfisher - Nick Moloney and Ellen reflect on the event...


An elated, but exhausted Nick Moloney had this to say -

"This last leg was truly awesome racing, we've been so close for most of the 2800 miles and so fast until the last few days. Mike [Golding, Ecover] sailed an excellent race from start to finish, and a great performance by Bilou, skipper of Sill, considering the less than perfect start [ Sill broke their mast on leg 4, and managed to repair it only just in time for the final leg]. We knew that Sill would be most concerned about covering Ecover at the finish in order to protect their second place, but it didn't stop it being one of the most stressful race finishes of our lives."

Ellen, who had travelled on Friday night to St.Malo to welcome home her boat and crew unfortunately, as the ETA was put back, could wait no longer, and was devastated not to be there at the finish. She's currently out on Lake Geneva racing Mich Desj, Loick Peyron and Bernard Stamm, but made clear her sentiments by phone from the water: "Nick and the team have done a great job. I loved every minute of sailing with them on the first three legs, and I can't wait to see them all at the prize giving on Wednesday.

It's been an awesome event for us, sailing with some very experienced and top sailors. It was a hard, but necessary decision to not stay onboard for the last two legs, but I know there are few people who I could leave her in the safe hands of, and I'm very lucky to be able to say that Nick Moloney was at the top of that very short list. I have incredible respect for Nick. It was not easy for him to join the project so soon after the Vendee. Kingfisher was almost shrine-like in appearance with all the little nik-naks in the corner of the chart table, I guess to others she still felt very much like my home. Nick took over her with such care for her past, and such enthusiasm for her future. Not only is Nick one incredibly talented racing skipper, but he is a wonderfully sensitive man, who sails not only with his head, but with his heart..."

Winning co-skipper Nick could not hide his pleasure, at both the race and of course the overall victory, "This first major crewed race on the Open 60s has been a great success. We're stoked about the whole thing, we've learnt a lot about the boat and ourselves and we've had great fun along the way despite some pretty uncomfortable sailing at times. The team onboard and on shore has been awesome, and to race with Ellen on Kingfisher has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my sailing career to date. I am very grateful to her, Offshore Challenges and the sponsors Kingfisher plc for giving me this opportunity... it's certainly reinforced my passion for doing the Vendée Globe in 2004."