Kojiro Shiraishi fixed to join Vendee Globe 2020 Announced on 30th Oct.2018

On 30th Oct. 2018, The Ocean Explorer "Koojiro Shiraishi" officially announced that his plan has been fixed to join the Vendee Globe 2020-2021. New Sponsor "DMG MORI" President Masahiko Mori and Kojiro Shiraishi announced the New Team "DMG MORI Sailing Team and introduced Managing Director Tony O'Connor and Kojiro's offshore team members.

Alex Thomson Racing appoints world renowned British Boat Builder, boat launch targeted for June 2019

British sailing team, Alex Thomson Racing, has announced that it will build a brand new IMOCA 60 race boat in the south of England.

Credit : Alex Thomson Racing 

The boat, HUGO BOSS, will be constructed by Carrington Boats. Jason Carrington is one of the most accomplished and highly regarded specialists in the industry.

Alex Thomson Racing has announced plans to design and build a new IMOCA for the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe

British sailing team, Alex Thomson Racing, has announced plans to design and build a brand new 60ft IMOCA race boat for the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe.

Crédit : C Barnham

Vendee Globe / Conrad Colman shares his thoughts after an incredible performance

After finishing 16th in the Vendee Globe, crossing the finish line under the jury rig which had carried him the final 720 miles of his race since he was dismasted, Conrad Colman was greeted by a hero's welcome into Les Sables d'Olone. The first New Zealander to complete the race sailing the first boat to use only natural energy, no fossil fuels, Colman shared his thoughts and memories of the race fluently in both French and his native English. Here are the some of the highlights of his pontoon arrival, his public reception and his press conference.

Crédit : O Blanchet / DPPI / VG

ITW / "My goal was to finish this race", Rich Wilson takes thirteenth place

American skipper Rich Wilson crossed the finish line of the Vendée Globe solo round the world race off Les Sables d’Olonne on the west coast of France this afternoon (Tuesday 21/02) at 1250hrs UTC. 

© OLIVIER BLANCHET / DPPI / Vendée Globe

From the fleet of 29 boats which started the 27,440 miles singlehanded race from Les Sables d’Olonne on Sunday November 6th, Wilson and Great American IV secure 13th place in an elapsed time of 107 days 00 hrs 48 mins 18 secs. He actually sailed 27,480 miles at ana average speed of 10.70 knots.

Vendée Globe / Dismast of Foresight Natural Energy

At 2300 French time this Friday the 10th February, Conrad Colman called his team to inform them that Imoca Foresight Natural Energy dismasted. The skipper is unharmed, and was calm during the call. He freed the rigging (mast and mainsail) and he managed to save the boom.

Crédit : C Colman - More pics here

Alex Thomson returns to his home base in PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR Saturday 11th February

Alex Thomson will be returning home to Gosport on board his racing yacht HUGO BOSS on Saturday 11th February. A parade of sail and celebratory event will be held in Alex’s hometown of Gosport this weekend to celebrate the solo skipper’s incredible race and podium finish in the prestigious Vendee Globe, a solo, non-stop, race around the world . The Parade of Sail will commence in the Solent close to Spitbank Fort at 10:15. Alex will then sail into Portsmouth Harbour before berthing HUGO BOSS at the Gosport Ferry terminal.

Crédit : JM Liot - DPPI - VG

Vende Globe / Thomson claims second in historic Vendée Globe race

British yachtsman Alex Thomson today took the runner-up spot in the Vendée Globe to become the solo round-the-world race's second-fastest sailor ever.

Crédit : V Curutchet

Thomson, 42, set out to become the first Brit ever to win the Vendée Globe but following an epic battle with French skipper Armel Le Cléac'h missed out on the top spot by just shy of 16 hours. The skipper of Hugo Boss crossed the finish line at 0737 UTC in a time of 74 days, 19 hours, 35 minutes and 15 seconds in one of the closest finishes ever in the race's 27-year history. Le Cléac'h, 39, took the top spot yesterday at 1537 UTC with a time of 74 days, three hours and 35 minutes, setting a new race record by three days, 22 hours and 41 minutes. Although Thomson had to settle for second place his time also supersedes the previous record of 78 days 2 hours 16 minutes set by French sailor François Gabart in the 2012-13 edition.

Vendée Globe / Le Cléac'h smashes Vendée Globe race record in spectacular style

French sailor Armel Le Cléac'h today won the Vendée Globe in one of the most thrilling finishes the solo round the world race has ever seen. After 74 days and almost 24,500 nautical miles of first-class ocean racing Le Cléac'h was finally crowned victor in the long-running battle with British skipper Alex Thomson for the top spot in the solo round the world race, regarded as one of the toughest sporting challenges known to man.

Crédit : V Curutchet / DPPI

One tack holds key to Vendée Globe glory

With less than 40 miles separating Vendée Globe leader Armel Le Cléac'h from secondplaced Alex Thomson this morning and under 400 nautical miles left to the finish line, victory in the solo round the world race now comes down to one crucial last manoeuvre.

Crédit : Marine Nationale

Record / Thomson smashes 24-hour distance record during Vendée Globe

British sailor Alex Thomson today smashed the world record for the greatest distance sailed solo in 24 hours notching up 536.8 miles on his 60ft racing yacht.

Thomson, 42, is currently in second place in the Vendee Globe just 70 miles behind French race leader Armel Le Cleac'h with 1,000 miles to go to the finish line.

Vendée Globe / Fa closing Cape Horn, Le Cléach's 34 day reign in the Doldrums

Hungarian Vendée Globe skipper Nandor Fa is having the race of his life in the Vendée Globe. The 62-year old wrestler, turned canoeist turned Olympic sailor, who came back to solo ocean racing after a 20 year hiatus to compete in this pinnacle event of shorthanded sailing, is expected to pass Cape Horn on Sunday morning. This Friday afternoon Fa is some 620 miles shy of Cape Horn and his release from what has been a tough Pacific ocean for him and the IMOCA 60 which he designed himself.

Crédit : N Fa

Vendée Globe / A Game of Two Halves. Thomson Halves Deficit, Meilhat, Béyou Halfway.

The fact that the time and distance that separates Alex Thomson from race leader Armel Le Cléac'h has more than halved in 24 hours is of little real consequence to the British skipper as he sets up for the strong winds brought along by a second successive low pressure system and then a messy area of high pressure thereafter.

Crédit : A Le Cléac'h

Vendée Globe / Kojiro Shiraishi on Spirit of Yukoh forced to retire

At 0240 UTC on Sunday December 4th, Kojiro Shiraishi, Skipper of Spirit of Yukoh contacted his shore team to tell them that he had dismasted. The boat Spirit of Yukoh was sailing in a moderate breeze (20 knots). Kojiro inside of the boat heard the sound of the mast breaking at around 0230 UTC.

Crédit : Kojiro Shiraishi

Vendée Globe / New twist as Thomson takes back top spot

British sailor Alex Thomson is once again at the front of the Vendée Globe fleet after successfully hunting down arch rival Armel Le Cléac'h in the Southern Ocean. Four days after French sailor Le Cléac'h moved into pole position in the solo non-stop round the world race, Thomson reclaimed control once more as the epic duel between the two skippers continued. The pair were this afternoon neck and neck as they rocketed east, less than a mile splitting them from the next waypoint and with just seven miles of lateral separation.

Crédit : JM Liot / DPPI / VG

Record / Alex Thomson reached the Cape of Good Hope in 17d 22hrs 58mins (Vidéo)

Alex Thomson reached the Cape of Good Hope in a race record time of 17d 22hrs 58mins- over 5 days faster than the race record set by Armel Le Cleach in the last Vendee Globe! 

LogBook / Damage to one of the foils of Hugo Boss after hitting something, Alex Thomson : " I didn’t see anything in the water"

Damage to one of the foils of Hugo Boss after hitting something. Both Alex Thomson and the boat are fine. Alex Thomson said "Having had pretty quick night where the boat was sailing high averages and the boat was super uncomfortable I had retracted the foil 30% early this morning and was sailing the boat pretty conservatively in a building breeze. 

Vendee Globe / Advantage Alex Thomson.

In the 1100hrs UTC rankings, advantage Alex Thomson. In just four hours, the skipper of Hugo Boss has doubled his lead over his nearest rivals.

Crédit : A Thomson / Hugo Boss / Vendée Globe

Vendée Globe / Thomson takes the lead, three races within the racemonday

The eighth Vendée Globe has only just begun and for the frontrunners, the Bay of Biscay will soon be in their wake. The fleet has split into three distinct groups spread over 120 miles, while the leaders have only sailed 300. Britain’s Alex Thomson has taken the lead.

© C BARNHAM / HUGO BOSS

Vendée Globe 2016 / The day before

The month long spell of unseasonable benevolent, summer-like weather is set to hold through Sunday, giving the 29 solo skippers who will start the Vendée Globe solo non stop race around the world the most favourable starting conditions for many years.

Crédit : V Curutchet