Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar) crossed the Vendée Globe finish line of Les Sables d’Olonne this morning at 08h31″55′ hrs GMT to secure a very creditable fifth place in the solo non stop around the world race which started on Sunday November 9th.
Thompson, who fought to contain a keel problem through the final hours of his race, completed his first solo ocean race on IMOCA Open 60 in a time of 98 days, 20h, 29m,55s, holding off the ongoing attack of his compatriot Dee Caffari (AVIVA) who is due to finish later this morning.
After more than three months at sea Thompson was first and foremost looking forward forward to being re-united with his family, wife Natalie and his young daughter Genevive, 3 ½ and Tristan 1 ½.
Thompson’s result is a triumph over a catalogue of mechanical and technical problems with a radical IMOCA Open 60 which was completely un-tested before the start of the race which has been one of the toughest in the history of this race, with 19 of 30 starters having to abandon their race.
Owner of a number of round the world records, including skippering a winning crew in the 2005 Oryx Quest race on a maxi multihull in 2005, Thompson has no shortage of monohull experience and had two Transat Jacques Vabre double handed races on IMOCA Open 60s on his extensive CV, but his first solo IMOCA Open 60 experience of any note was when he sailed his 2000 miles Vendée Globe qualifier in June last year.
The radical, beamy Juan Kouyoumdjian designed Bahrain Team Pindar is considered to be the most powerful in the fleet with the tallest rig.The boat fell badly off schedule when it was dismasted twice in three and a half months, the second time just before Thompson was due to start the Transat Jacques Vabre in October 2007.
Thompson’s seamanship and his boat repair skills were tested to the full on his race. Racing against time to make repairs before one of the biggest storms of his race, the Cowes based skipper spent more than 48 hours in the front sections of his boat making a complex laminate repair to cracks in the longitudinal supports forming the forward ballast tanks. He also subsequently had to make further repairs to the forward structure as well as the transom of a boat which was never designed specifically with this race in mind.
Brian Thompson, GBR, (Bahrain Team Pindar): Race Times
Crossing the Equator: 22/11/08 10:25hrs GMT passage 12 d 22 23m
Passing the Cape of Good Hope: 07/12/ 11:35hrs GMT passage 27d 23h 33m
Passing Cape Leeuwin: 20/12/08 04:05hrs GMT 40d 16h 03 m
Crossing the International Date Line: 29/12/08 11:30hrs GMT 50d 09h 28m
Rounding Cape Horn: 15/01/09 03:15hrs GMT 66d 15h 13h
Crossing the Equator: 31/01/09 01:20hrs 82d 12h 18m
Crossing the finish line: 16/02/09 08:31 hrs 98d 20h 29m 55s