A well seasoned, experienced professional, Mike Golding, 46, started the VELUX 5 OCEANS with more Open 60 miles under his belt than anyone else in the race. Originally a firefighter with the Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service, Golding made his name in sailing back in 1992 when he skippered a team of amateurs around the world westabout against the prevailing winds aboard the yacht Group 4 in Sir Chay Blyth's first British Steel Challenge. He followed this up with a decisive race win in the same event four years later. In between these two events Golding had slipped in a third passage on this same tough westabout round the world course, this time sailing his Challenge 67 yacht singlehanded without stopping. In doing so he became the first person to better Chay Blyth's 292 days record for this passage, setting a new time of 161 days. Golding remains the only person to have sailed non-stop around the world in both directions - eastabout and westabout.

Following his BT Global Challenge win, Golding embarked on his first Open 60 campaign with the support of Group 4 boss Jørgen Philip Sørensen. Team Group 4 won the first leg of the 1998/9 BOC Challenge (predecessor to the VELUX 5 OCEANS) only to run aground while rounding the top of New Zealand on the subsequent leg. He scored several podium positions in transatlantic events before disaster struck again in the 2000/1 Vendée Globe, when, just eight hours out from the start, his Team Group 4 was dismasted. Nonetheless, in a characteristic display of will power, Golding persevered, rerigged his boat and set sail eight days behind. He ultimately finished seventh, recording the fourth fastest time.

In 2001 Golding got his first backing from the Belgian ecological cleaning products manufacturer Ecover, an association that allowed Golding to launch his second new Open 60 under their colours in 2003. In his new Ecover, a design by Owen-Clarke, Golding won both the Défi Atlantique and historic The Transat race in 2004 making him favourite for line honours in the Vendée Globe later that year. During this event his fast crossing of both the South Pacific and the Indian Oceans led to two new ocean records. He moved into the lead briefly as he sailed up the South Atlantic, only to break three halyards, which he feels cost him the race. But this was nothing compared to the loss of his keel just 50 miles from the finish line. Incredibly, Golding was able to make it home to take third position.

The regularity of his results on the IMOCA circuit crowned him IMOCA World Champion two years in a row (2004 and 2005). He also held the prestigious FICO World Champion 2005 title.

As the "World Champion", the race remained unfinished business. However, the Bay of Biscay storm forced him to make repairs in La Coruna, meaning Stamm and Shiraishi developed an early initial lead. The first leg then became a personal battle against fellow British skipper Alex Thomson. Fierce rivals on and off the water, they rejoined the race track side by side and began pushing each other harder and faster as they sought to catch Stamm and stay ahead of each other. There was not much love lost between the two competitors, especially after Thomson had thrown the prologue regatta in Bilbao to respect an old maritime superstition (that the winner of the prologue never wins the main event). Golding was therefore awarded first place - on learning the news, Golding refused to accept the win, which eventually went to Bernard Stamm.

As the two British skippers, both hot favourites to potentially win, crashed into the Southern Ocean, the race changed in an instant. On hearing of Alex Thomson's keel issues, Golding immediately slowed down and turned around to bash upwind to find Hugo Boss and rescue his compatriot, who by then had announced he needed to abandon ship. Golding performed an impeccable rescue under difficult and stressful circumstances and conditions, an exercise which saw him recognised the world over for his seamanship and skills. However, once Thomson was safely onboard, disaster struck again as his mast shattered in three places. Ecover was forced to limp to Cape Town and Golding announced that he was out of the race.