With this year’s edition of The Vendée Globe approaching its final days, British sailor Alex Thomson is in second place, 227 nautical miles behind French rival Armel Le Cléac’h.
With 91% of the race complete, Thomson is heading towards the Azores and sailing at a speed of 20.5 knots with 2211 miles standing between him and the race finish at Le Sables d’Olonne.
The Vendée Globe is a single-handed, non-stop, unassisted race around the world. Often termed ‘the Everest of Sailing’, the race – which comes around just every four years – pushes sailors to their very limits, requiring them to compete alone at sea without stopping, setting foot on dry land, or receiving any form of assistance, for around three months.
If Thomson wins this year’s edition he will be the first Briton to claim victory in this gruelling challenge, a race which to date has been won only by French competitors.