British solo sailor Alex Thomson is expected to finish the Vendée Globe, the non stop around the world race, at around 0700hrs UTC (0800hrs local time France) this morning.
Thomson should finish in third place, setting a new solo non stop record for a British skipper, breaking Mike Golding's mark by nearly eight days. He will become only the third British sailor ever to finish on the podium of the famous Vendée Globe after Ellen
MacArthur's second place in 2001 and Golding's third in 2005.
For Thomson, who has started this race three times and being forced out by damage in 2004 and 2008, a third place will mark the pinnacle of his career to date and deliver a result which he has been chasing for ten years.
During the race, which started in Les Sables d'Olonne on 10th November, Thomson twice had to keep his chances of finishing alive by rebuilding his hydrogenerators – a major repair to the small waterborne generators, which produce electricity. He spent a month running with very minimal power on board, in a state of increasing isolation.
The finish will be broadcast live on www.vendeeglobe.org/en/, commencing as soon as Thomson enters the channel, which leads to the dock. This traditional passage into the town lasts around 50 minutes. There will then be short interviews at the dockside, followed by a public podium interview and a 30 minutes press conference. All will be broadcast live.
