Golding to christen Mini

Ecover Ocean Sailing Academy student Peter Laureyssens to set sail in Mini Transat on Saturday

Ecover’s Open 60 skipper Mike Golding will be in La Rochelle this Friday to support Peter Laureyssens who is about to participate in the Mini Transat. Peter Laureyssens is an Ecover Ocean Sailing Academy (EOSA) student and has asked Mike to be godfather to his Mini 6.50.

As a part of their overall involvement in sailing, Ecover offers opportunity to young Belgian sailors to learn first-hand how to run a professional sailing campaign from leading yachting professionals. A series of twice-yearly seminars are organised by Mike Golding Yacht Racing in conjunction with Belgium-based company, Ship to Shore. The students, who are predominantly Belgian citizens, have been selected because of the high quality of their sailing CV and the seriousness of their projects - mainly Mini 6.50 Class campaigns.

Peter Laureyssens who was one of the first students to enrol in EOSA, has had great results during the 2005 Mini season. He won his class in the Mini Fastnet, the Chrono 6,50, the Pogo Nationals, Challenge Mini and the Transgascogne in the solo/series class. Like Mike, Peter is a very focused sailor and has huge respect for Mike and his professionalism, competitiveness and seamanship.

Peter who juggles his job in an IT company with his passion for sailing, has created a highly successful campaign. This year all his efforts begun to pay off and he did win nine out of twelve Mini races over the last two seasons. He now aims to win the Mini Transat that will leave La Rochelle on Saturday at 17h17 to reach Salvador de Bahia about 30 days including a stopover in the Canary Isles.

Mike Golding is happy to see a student of the EOSA performing so well. “We have organised seminars with speakers from all elements of sailing who have brought their experience to these up and coming sailors. They have had the opportunity to discuss with key players in the sailing community a range of subjects from weather, sleep and design to self-management and sail-making specialists. It is very satisfying to see these seminars help someone as professional as Peter and I hope many more students will follow in his footsteps. I wish him fair winds and success in the Mini-Transat and know that he has been dreaming of this for many years."

Peter is sponsored by Wellments, an Ecover brand that produces and distributes natural cosmetics.