Britain’s Alex Thomson on Wednesday arrived in Les Sables d’Olonne, western France, to take third place in the Vendee Globe round-the-world yacht race.
The 38-year-old skipper and his boat Hugo Boss crossed the line at 0725 GMT after completing the course in 80 days, 19 hours and 23 minutes. He is the third Briton to make the podium after Ellen MacArthur in 2001 and Mike Golding in 2005.
The prestigious non-stop race was won by France’s Francois Gabart, who completed the gruelling course on Sunday in a new record time of 78 days 2 hours 16 min. His compatriot Armel Le Cleac’h was second.
Thomson, who is married with a child, has participated twice before in the Vendee Globe, in 2004 and 2008, but was forced to abandon both times.
Britain's Thomson takes Vendee Globe third
