The Briton Alex Thomson, one of the favorites of the Vendée Globe, gave up on Saturday November 28, failing to repair damage to his boat, announced the organizer.
"The decision is made: unable to repair his starboard rudder", Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) "abandons the Vendée Globe" and "will head to Cape Town", announced the organization of the Vendée Globe.
The Welshman gives up for the third time in five appearances.
Alex Thomson gives up!
The decision is made: unable to repair his starboard rudder, @ ATRacing99 abandons the Vendée Globe.
The British skipper is heading for Cape Town to shelter his HUGO BOSS.
More info to come.
pic.twitter.com/GPtjdQTehp
- Vendée Globe (@VendeeGlobe) November 28, 2020
The Welshman gives up for the third time in five appearances.
He had already retired in 2004 and then in 2008 before finishing third in 2012/2013 and second in the last edition in 2016/2017.
The 46-year-old skipper was one of the big favorites of the Vendée Globe, a non-stop solo round-the-world race that has always been won by a Frenchman since its creation in 1989. He had crossed the equator. in the lead, ten days after departure.
A fifth participation
For his fifth participation, Thomson was at the helm of a brand new boat, black and pink, of the very latest generation, which can almost fly thanks to foils, those large lateral appendages which make IMOCAs take a lot of speed.
His boat, which is part of a fleet of eight new sailboats, is fitted with electronics and is the only one to have a completely enclosed cockpit.
Since November 22, Alex Thomson carried out repairs on repairs to alleviate structural problems.
Friday evening, he was trying to get back into the race, when he noticed this damage to the rudder.
With great sadness, we announce that we are no longer racing in the Vendée Globe.
A statement from Alex and the team: https://t.co/viFr7z13E0 @VendeeGlobeENG @VendeeGlobe
- Alex Thomson Racing (@ ATRacing99) November 28, 2020
With AFP
The summary of the week
France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 application
google-play-badge_FR