VENDEE GLOBE THOMSON RETIRES

A sad day indeed for Brit Alex Thomson as he announces that he is to retire from the vendee globe following a collision with a submerged object on Monday, which forced him back to port. The crack in the outer and inner skin is around five metres in length and there is also compression damage to the hull. The Hugo Boss has been deemed irreparable in time for next Wednesday’s restart deadline.

The beleaguered skipper is understandably extremely disappointed that damage sustained will take weeks to repair meaning his four years of preparation have been in vain.

Speaking to the press after hearing the news Thomson said ‘…enough's enough, we've looked at it and if there was a possibility of fixing it we'd fix it. But apparently there isn't a possibility.’

He went on to say of the Hugo Boss teams effort to make it into the race. ‘It's just awful, not just for me but the team, you know we worked really hard and built a new boat, just to get ready for this one race, and to be out of it just three days in just doesn't feel right at all, it feels very hard to be back here again.’

Our thoughts and commiserations go out to Alex and his dedicated team.
VENDEE GLOBE ENTRANTS
Dee Caffari (Aviva) visit site
Sébastien Josse (BT) visit site
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) visit site (EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OUT OF RACE)
Mike Golding (Ecover 3) visit site
Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada) visit site
Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty)
Marc Guillemot (Safran)
Yann Eliès (Generali) visit site
Jean Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) visit site
Jérémie Beyou (Deta Dore) visit site
Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Ocean Vital) visit site
Marc Thiercelin (DCNS) (OUT OF RACE)
Vincent Riou (PRB)
Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) visit site
Jonny Malbon (Artemis) visit site
Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) visit site
Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) visit site
Jean Baptiste Dejeanty (Maisonneuve)
Dominique Wavre (Temenos II)
Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) visit site
Steve White (Toe in the water) visit site
Unai Basurko (Pakea Bizkaia) visit site
Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas)
Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch)
Rich Wilson (Great American III) visit site
Samantha Davies (Roxy) visit site
Yannick Bestaven (Aquarelle.com) (OUT OF RACE)
Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) visit site
Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel) visit site (DISMASTED OUT OF RACE)
Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) visit site
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