A sailor from Bangor in North Wales, just a stone’s throw from us here at the Oakeley Arms yesterday set sail to compete in one of the toughest sporting events in the world.

Bangor born Alex Thomson aims to be the first British yachtsman to win the prestigious sailing title of the Vendee Globe round the world yacht race. He will be sailing single handedly and non-stop, leaving from, and returning to the town of Les Sable-d’Olonne in Western France. He, along with 28 other sailors will first sail south down the Atlantic Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope, then clockwise around Antartica, then returning back to France. The route is 30,000 miles long and is expected to take 3 to 4 months.

The Vendee Globe takes place every 4 years. The competitors must sail alone, must not have any help or assistance, and although they may put their anchors down to stop, they cannot stop alongside another boat or a quayside. They can’t have any outside help, including weather or navigation assistance.

Spending so long alone at sea, at such enormous distances from outside help, and in one of the most windy and so perilous stretches of sea in the world, makes the Vendee Globe one of the most gruelling sporting events. Many competitors retire before completing the race, and three sailors have been sadly lost at sea whilst competing.

Alex, and his boat Hugo Boss – named after his sponsors (which reputably cost a whopping £4.5 million pounds to design and construct). This extraordinary racing monohull are made from modern, and expensive, materials that mean that boats are light but are also able to withstand the colossal winds and harsh conditions they’ll face in the Southern Ocean.

Alex faces a challenge of enormous dimensions – he must control his boat, navigate his route and try to sleep, rest and eat, all without any help. Communication with his family and racing team will be limited. However, Alex Thomson is one of Britain’s finest sailors. He was the youngest person ever to win the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 1999 and holds the 24 hour world speed sailing record.

So, we wish Alex, and his stunning yacht, all the very best in his bid to become the first Brit, and indeed the first Welshman, ever to win the Vendee Globe! Good luck Alex!

You can follow Alex’s progress at www.alexthomsonracing.com