Mike Golding receives award

British solo skipper first in prestigeous FICO World Championship series

British singlehanded round the world racer and Ecover skipper, Mike Golding was today officially 'crowned' FICO World Champion at a presentation at the London Boat Show. Golding was presented his World title by FICO President, John Lewis.

“I am delighted to have won the FICO World Championship," said Golding. "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."

“It is a great pleasure for me to present the FICO World Championship Trophy to a fellow Anglo-Saxon," said John Lewis. "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.”

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 co-skipper 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 second place in the Vendee Globe and third place in the Transat Jacques Vabre.

The FICO World Championship 2005 this year was likely to go to a skipper in the IMOCA Open 60 monohull class due to the 200 points awarded to the winner of the Vendée Globe. Michel Desjoyeaux, ORMA 60 trimaran winner of the Transat who also finished third in the Quebec-Saint Malo and the Transat Jacques Vabre finishes the year fifth in the FICO championship ahead of two other Vendée Globe solo sailors, Sébastien Josse and Jean-Pierre Dick.

In eighth place is the skipper of the new 50ft trimaran Crêpes Whaou!, skippered by Franck-Yves Escoffier, who has won his class in both the Quebec-Saint Malo and the Transat Jacques Vabre.

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).

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