Vendee Globe on Channel 4

APP/Sunset & Vine series to be aired starting this Saturday morning

Two weeks after three British solo skippers made headlines for completing their solo lap of the planet by sail, the first in a five-part series on the Vendée Globe will be shown on Channel 4 this Saturday 28 February at 0730, and then weekly on Channel 4 on Sunday mornings at 0730.

Seven British skippers entered the race, Mike Golding on Ecover 3 was back for his third time, looking to improve on the third place he scored in the last edition, while Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss, started the last race but suffered structural damage and was forced to retire as his boat was holed in the Southern Ocean. These were the only two British skippers to have crossed the Vendée Globe start line and who had come back for more.

For the other British skippers the Vendée Globe was a new game: Dee Caffari on Aviva looking to become the first women to sail alone non-stop around the world in both directions, and Sam Davies on Roxy, were the only women in the fleet. And three British men on their first Vendée: Brian Thomson on Bahrain Team Pindar former watch leader for the late Steve Fossett; Jonny Malbon on Artemis Ocean Racing heading for his first ever solo ocean race; and Steve White on Toe in the Water who had re-mortgaged his house to get to the start and line up against the best in the world.

The Channel 4 series features behind the scenes stories from the British entries, on board footage filmed by the sailors themselves, 3D animations showing their progress around the globe and highlights from the other competitors in this extraordinary race that as ever, has lived up to its billing.