Alex Thomson writes

Hugo Boss skipper has completed his Vendee Globe qualifier

I left Portugal on 8 May to complete a 2,500nm singlehanded passage which would qualify me for the Vendee Globe. Thinking about going solo on Hugo Boss while I was sailing with Capey [Andrew Cape] on the Barcelona World Race always seemed pretty daunting, but I now feel it's no more difficult than double-handed. The boat is generally laid out very well for me sailing on my own.

My qualifier has been uneventful at best, boring at worst and I have encountered all conditions from 40 knots of wind to flat calm and fog, in fact out at my most north western point I did not see more than 100m for three days because of the thick, thick fog.

While I was at sea the Artemis Transat has been happening and I've been keeping a close eye on how the competition might stack up for the Vendee Globe. Simon Clarke who used to run the ATR team is out there on a Class 40 and it was nice to chat to him a couple of times.

If I was ever in doubt whether I should do that race, I'm not now - the North Atlantic, east to west is an awful course and as shown by the retirements - boat breaking, not something you need with the Vendee so close.

My new Hugo Boss has been great and the refit excellent, with just a few minor tweaks needed. The jobs list gets smaller and less important as time goes on, we'll be 100% ready, tried and tested for the main event in November.

With the qulaifier now complete I'm heading to Monaco for the Grand Prix and join the guys on Hugo Boss ll for some Mediterranean sailing. Don't think we'll be suffering from fog down there and I am really looking forwad to some sun!