Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Curse of the Offshore Sailor

I've previously posted about the Sailor's Prayer, but today it's all about the Sailor's Curse.

Today Mike Golding took the lead in the Vendee Globe and promptly got dismasted (I was going to say broke his mast but he certainly didn't do it).

There seems to be too series of bad lucks going on. Firstly there's the Mike Golding jinx, which has hit so many of his races. Then there seems to be another on whoever is leading in the Vendee Globe (just think of the track record).

So when Mike Golding took the lead it was a double whammy and down came his rig.

Of course it could just be that whoever is at the front of the Vendee is by definition the one pushing the hardest and hence most likely to suffer gear failure.

But it is tempting to think of a bit of magic voodoo; just as Lord Voldemort aka he who can not be named cursed the job of Defence against the dark arts at Hogwarts (which of course you know all about having read all seven books).

Sailors are, after all, also known for their superstition.

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