Thomson eyes third place in Vendée Globe race

In a determined push up the Atlantic, Britain’s Alex Thomson is poised to take over third place in the Vendée Globe round the world race for singlehanders.

He had chosen a course closer to the coast of Brazil as he pointed the bow of his 60-foot Hugo Boss north going into the final 5,000 miles of his 24,000-mile solo journey.

That put him less than five miles behind the man who has for weeks held third place, Jean-Pierre Dick of France.

The race, which has a failure rate of 40 per cent. of the 20 starters after the retirement of Switzerland’s Bernard Stamm, is still led by François Gabart and fellow-Frenchman Armel le Cléac’h.

The second British competitor, Mike Golding, who has now raced six times round Cape Horn, three times each way, is lying sixth and also back on the home run up the Atlantic.