While Ellen Macarthur's Open 60 Kingfisher put in a convincing performance - without her - on the last leg of the EDS Atlantic Challenge to take the title, Southamp-ton's Mike Golding and his crew finished third on Ecover.

It was a disappointing result for Golding who at the start of the inaugural event in July was confident of beating the other Open 60s, most of which he had raced against in the recent Vendee Globe.

For much of the final leg from Boston to St Malo conditions were perfect for Ecover and Golding had planned his crossing well. At one point they were within 30 miles of the 24-hour speed record, but as the leading four boats neared their destination the weather turned light and the distances clocked up began to be eaten away.

The last 48 hours of the race saw the lead positions change at almost each poll. With only a few hours to go to the finish the first three boats were within four miles of each other - after almost 3,000 miles any of them could have got in first.

Ellen missed the finish despite travelling to St Malo to see her co-skipper Nick Maloney cross the finish line. The ETA was put back due to the light winds and she had to rush off to Lake Geneva where she was racing Michel Desjoyeaux, Loick Peyron and Bernard Stamm.

But Maloney was delighted by the result.

"This last leg was truly awesome racing," he said.

"We've been so close for most of the 2,800 miles and so fast until the last few days. Golding sailed an excellent race from start to finish, and a great performance by Bilou, skipper of Sill, considering the less than perfect start.

"We knew that Sill would be most concerned about covering Ecover at the finish in order to protect their second place, but it didn't stop it being one of the most stressful race finishes of our lives."