British solo ocean racing skipper Alex Thomson has described himself as “desperate” to finally secure victory in the Vendée Globe singlehanded around the world race at his fifth attempt in 2020.
In an interview with the mainstream Mail Online website in the UK, Thomson described his quest for a Vendée Globe win as “my life’s work”.
‘It’s the equivalent to an Olympic gold medal” Thomson told reporter James Ayles.
‘It’s like an Olympian has done four Olympics and got a bronze and a silver and I’m just desperate for that gold.
‘If we do achieve the ultimate goal, I honestly couldn’t say what it would feel like. It is everything to me.’
Thomson has a brand new state-of-the-art IMOCA 60 in build for the 2020 Vendee Globe. His new boat will launch next year but in the meantime he will race his current boat – on which he finished second in the 2016-17 Vendée Globe – against 19 0ther singlehanded IMOCA 60 skippers in the Route de Rhum race, starting November 4.
Compared to a racing around the world the circa 3,500-nautical mile course is a mere tiddler – but it’s a race that Thomson says he is relishing the idea of and will be going all out to finish first.
‘On the Vendee Globe you are conscious of the need to finish whereas on this you have the opportunity to go hell for leather,” he said. “I want to win – that’s one part of it – and it’s a true sprint and a chance to push the boat.”