Alex Thomson (born 18 April 1974,

Bangor, Wales Bangor (; ) is a cathedral city and community in Gwynedd, North Wales. It is the oldest city in Wales. Historically part of Caernarfonshire, it had a population of 18,322 in 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics. Landmarks ...

) is a British

yachtsman A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

. Alex Thomson was helped early in his sailing career by Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London's victorious bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and set up with British America's Cup campaign TEAMORIGIN. With Mills' backing, Thomson broke into the professional solo sailing circuit at a young age. Thomson's Clipper Race win in 1999 made him the youngest skipper ever to win a round-the-world yacht race. he still holds this record. He is an around the world solo sailor, and holds the 24-hour world speed sailing record for solo mono-hulls (537 nautical miles at an average speed of 22.4

knot A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...

s). Sponsored by

Hugo Boss Hugo Boss AG, often styled as BOSS, is a luxury fashion house headquartered in Metzingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company sells clothing, accessories, footwear, and fragrances. Hugo Boss is one of the largest German clothing companies, ...

he took part in the

Vendée Globe --> The Vendée Globe is a single-handed (solo) non-stop round the world yacht race. The race was founded by Philippe Jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years. It is named after the Département of Vendée, in France ...

2004/05 but was forced to retire after damage to the carbon fitting that attached the boom to the deck. He also started in

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, but had to retire from the race after a cracked hull. He was third in

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

and second in the

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edition. During the latter edition, Thomson set new fastest reference times from Les Sables d'Olonne to the Equator (9 days 7 h 02 min) and the Cape of Good Hope (17 days 22 h 58 min). However, 13 days into the race ''Hugo Bosss starboard foil broke after hitting an unidentified floating object, therefore hampering Alex's progress throughout the rest of the course. Of note, most of the race takes place on port tack, that is, the boat would have made good use of the missing starboard foil. Despite his foil and anemometer/autopilot problems, Thomson finished the race with the second fastest time on record – 74 days 19 h 35 min 15 sec, 16h behind Armel Le Cléac'h. In the 2019

Transat Jacques Vabre The Transat Jacques Vabre is a yachting race that follows the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil. It is named after (and sponsored by) a French brand of coffee. The course was drawn up back in 1993 to follow in the wake of ...

race, Thomson's $7.7 million racing yacht was struck by a submerged object, forcing Thomson and his co-skipper Neal McDonald to make repairs in order to stabilise the boat.

Career highlights

Boats owned

Records

Vendée Globe 2012-2013 Alex Thomson Hugo Boss

* 2007: Monohull (up to 60 feet) 24-hour distance record with Andrew Cape: 501.3 nautical miles * 2012: Monohull (up to 60 feet) singlehanded

transatlantic sailing record Since the five-week voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, quickly and safely, between Europe and the Americas has always been an important issue. Today, the route has become a classic one among skippers. The record i ...

: 8 days 21 hours 8 minutes and 31 seconds * 2017: Monohull singlehanded 24-hour distance record: 536.8 nautical miles * 2018: Route du Rhum IMOCA60 Class 11 days 23 hours 10 minutes 58 seconds

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Alex 1974 births Living people Single-handed sailors Single-handed circumnavigating sailors Sportspeople from Bangor, Gwynedd 2004 Vendee Globe sailors 2008 Vendee Globe sailors 2012 Vendee Globe sailors 2016 Vendee Globe sailors 2020 Vendee Globe sailors Vendée Globe finishers British Vendee Globe sailors Sailing teams IMOCA 60 class sailors Welsh male sailors (sport)