Vendee Globe – Overnight Thomson takes a podium position
by Alex Thomson Racing on 7 Nov 2016
Race start - Vendee Globe - 07 November 2016 Lloyd Images
British sailor Alex Thomson has overnight taken third position. Thomson crossed the start line of the Vendee Globe yesterday at 13.02. It was an emotional event as Thomson departed Les Sable d’Olonne passing down the crowd filled banks before starting his solo round the world race.
Overnight the fleet has divided as Thomson takes a podium position as he crosses the bay of Biscay. During the night he has reached speeds in excess of 20 knots and is now battling against two of the French favourites Armel le Cleac’h onboad Banque Populaire and Jean Pierre Dick racing on Stmichael Virbac. This is a new occurrence in the Vendee Globe and sees the foiling boats take a more easterly approach.
As this group of IMOCA 60 cross the Bay of Biscay they are travelling through what some say is the most dangerous part of the race. This stretch of ocean is one of the busiest for shipping and in the past has seen several IMOCA 60 retire before being able to cross the equator.
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