Pudsey Bear Sails the Atlantic

Pudsey the Pirate

As I write, leading sailors competing in the Transat Jacques Vabre Race across the Atlantic from Le Havre in France, to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica are nearing the finish line. Four of the thirteen IMOCA Open 60 teams were forced to abandon the Race. I had pinned my hopes on the ‘Gamesa’ team consisting of Mike Golding and his co-skipper Bruno Dubois, to win the Race, but it transpires they have been handicapped by a stowaway, the piratical Pudsey Bear. Mischievous, as always, he has been a real distraction to the ‘Gamesa’ boys, to the extent that they are the last in their class.


After 15 days at sea, with 690 miles to the finish, and the leading boat ‘Virbac Paprec 3’ only 170 miles from the finish, Golding and Dubois are looking to Pudsey to get them out of a mess. He was the distraction; therefore it’s only right that he should pay the price. Consequently, Pudsey has been restrained, and placed on a diet of bread and water until his arrival at Puerto Limon where he will be sold to the highest bidder, all in aid of Children in Need. Meanwhile, by means of the Internet, sympathisers of Mike and Bruno can donate to Children in Need via Mike’s Just Giving website. (See link below.)


Text for the Day

Mark 12:43, 44 ‘So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”’



Links


Gamesa Sailing Team’s Just Giving Website in aid of Children in Need

http://www.justgiving.com/GamesaSailingTeam


BBC Children in Need

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/


Mike Golding with co-skipper Pudsey Bear

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ilg7_xAcTNI&feature=uploademail


Gamesa Sailing Team at the Start of the 2011 Transat Jacques Vabre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNagm1O2nNo&feature=related


Mike Golding Yacht Racing

http://www.mikegolding.com/


Transat Jacques Vabre

http://www.transat-jacques-vabre.com/english-section


Gamesa

http://www.gamesacorp.com/es/


Gamesa – The Boat

http://www.mikegolding.com/the-boat/