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VIDEO: Jersey sailor closing in on round the world leader

VIDEO: Jersey sailor closing in on round the world leader

Friday 30 December 2016

VIDEO: Jersey sailor closing in on round the world leader

Friday 30 December 2016


Yachtsman Alex Thomson - son of Jerseyman Peter Thomson, and an adopted Islander - is closing in on the leader of the world's toughest sailing race, the Vendee Globe.

Alex is now just over 100 nautical miles behind Frenchman Armel Le Cleac'h as the two race towards the finish at Les Sables d'Orlonne.

The boats have now been at sea for 53 days. The record in the non-stop solo circumnavigation race is 78 days.

Alex rounded the southern tip of South America - Cape Horn - on Christmas Day, and as the video shows recorded himself singing his own special version of Jingle Bells, and tucked into a specially made Christmas pudding.

He's now sailed more than 19,000 nautical miles and is off the coast of Brazil, but there's still more than 5,000 nautical miles left to go.

This is the fourth time Alex has competed in the race. In 2004 and 2008 he was forced to retire. In the 2012/13 race he finished third.

Should he win this time he'll be first British sailor - and the only non-Frenchman - to have ever taken top honours in a race that stretches competitors to the limit. 

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