The Royal Australian Navy came to the rescue of another Vendee Globe around the world sailor yesterday, only hours after picking up Yann Eliès, the French yachtsman who had broken a leg, on Saturday. HMAS Arunta stopped while passing Briton Mike Golding on his dismasted Ecover 3 and gave him an early Christmas present.

The Royal Australian Navy dropped off 200 litres of fuel, some bread, meat and beer as Ecover 3 struggled north under a jury rig made from the boom.

Golding was still 300 miles off the Australian coast yesterday after his mast was snapped a week ago, only hours after he had taken the lead. Golding, was making 3.5 knots and estimated that he would reach Western Australia by Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.