Hampshire sailor set for record breaking finish (From Daily Echo)

Hampshire sailor set for record breaking finish

8:04am Wednesday 6th February 2013 in Sport By Simon Carter, Sports Editor

MIKE Golding is expected to etch his name into Vendee Globe history later today.
The 52-year-old Warsash sailor was this morning less than 200 nautical miles from the finish line off the French port of Les Sables.
When he finishes, Golding will become the first man to ever finish three Vendee Globes, the 23,000 mile plus solo around the world yacht race.
Golding was in fifth place last weekend, but has since been overtaken by Frenchman Jean Le Cam and will almost certainly finish sixth – banking 30,000 Euros in prize money.
Problems with his keel box have hampered Golding’s bid to finish in the top five over the last week.
He will be the second Hampshire man to finish the 2012/13 Vendee, which began off Les Sables on November 10 last year.
Gosport’s Alex Thomson claimed a third place finish last Wednesday morning.