Coville Golding's local knowledge

Ecover 3 takes on SNSM race after lengthy re-fit

Mike Golding's Ecover 3 will return to the race track this evening after a six month re-fit in Palma and Cherbourg, as the British solo skipper sails with a five-man crew on the annual SNSM race from St Nazaire north up the Breton coast.

Golding, who held the course record in 2006, and his team reached St Nazaire early this morning after a slow passage from Southampton, which served to confirm that the boat is in good shape to start racing.

If the team can keep to a tight schedule and the weather proves agreeable Golding aims to the complete the SNSM race here, measuring Ecover 3 against many of the best French IMOCA Open 60s, including recent Artemis Transat winner, Gitana 80 (Loick Peyron); last year's Transat Jacques Vabre winner, Foncia (Michel Desjoyeaux); and Barcelona World Race winner, Virbac Paprec 2 (Jean Pierre Dick). He is then set to return 'á tout vitesse' to compete in next Saturday's JP Morgan Round the Island race from Cowes, against the best of the Anglo Saxon fleet, Hugo Boss (Alex Thomson), Artemis (Jonny Malbon), Pindar (Brian Thompson).

"The trip down here was a little slow but it was good that we were able to sail in a range of different conditions. The keel appears to work well and the ballast is fine and these have been our two 'bete noirs' until now, so here's hoping. We have had seven of our ten ballast tanks filled and no leaks at all, which is great,"  said Golding.

The course has been shortened due to the expected light to moderate airs, and instead of heading to St Malo it will be to St Marine, just off Loctudy and so maintaining the SN SM theme. The northernmost turn is only about 90 miles from the St Nazaire start but the IMOCA Open 60 fleet are projected to completed three laps in something around 40-48 hours.

"It is a relatively short race with lots of rocks, and navigational challenges, a strong tidal situation. We should be completing it within 48 hours and so we'll not have any structured watch system." Golding continued. "We have a good calibre of IMOCA Open 60 fleet and so it is going to be good to get back racing again. I am really looking forward to it and feel like we are in good shape. To be able to race against the best of the French boats here and then the best of the Anglo Saxon fleet next weekend, if we can make it, will be a good indicator for us."

The race starts at 1800hrs local time. It is not an IMOCA recognised race so some Open 60s are sailing with seven crew and some six. Mike has a strong crew, mainly built around the shore team of Gilles Campan (FRA), Nick Bubb (GBR) and Dan Gold (GBR), along with North Sails France's Bruno Dubois (FRA), who sailed with Mike on the TJV transatlantic, and special guest Sodebo maxi-tri skipper Thomas Coville (FRA), adding local knowledge.