The Golding and Thomson tour continues with the 2008 Finot designs and Jean le Cam's Synerciel

Mike Golding and Alex Thomson contemplate Bernard Stamm's Juan K-designed Cheminees Poujoulat and Javier Sanso's Acciona

Today Thomson and Golding contemplate Safran, her titanium keel and milled carbon fibre mast track

Alex Thomson and Mike Golding contemplate Maitre Coq, while Gamesa's skipper tells us of his boat and its interceptor

Mike Golding and Alex Thomson continue their insightful tour of the IMOCA 60 fleet

Mike Golding and Alex Thomson share their thoughts on the IMOCA fleet

2012-13 Vendee Globe presented in Paris

Javier Sanso hampered by autopilot problems on the Europa Warm-Up

Narrow victory for PRB on leg two of the Europa Warm'Up

Last night at sea for Europa Warm Up IMOCA 60 solo skippers

As the Europa Warm Up IMOCA 60 hit death defying speeds en route to the Fastnet Rock

Vincent Riou does the best job of rounding the Azores in the Europa Warm UP

But skipper Kito de Pavant is okay in the IMOCA's Europa Warm Up

Banque Populaire now leads the Europa Warm-Up as the solo IMOCA 60s approach the Azores turning mark

Virbac Paprec 3 leads the charge once again

As start is delayed by a few hours following the late arrival of the leg one tailenders

Virbac Paprec 3 edges ahead as seven minutes separate leaders into Cascais

Sneaky PRB takes the lead in the IMOCA 60's Europa Warm Up

Virbac Paprec holds a slender lead from PRB in the Europa Warm Up

IMOCA 60 fleet in for a pasting as they round the coast of Spain

Europa Warm'Up for the IMOCA 60s sets sail from Barcelona

Europa Warm Up has its own warm up off Barcelona

Skipper Kito de Pavant announces his crew line-up

Kito de Pavant's IMOCA 60 back in the water after her winter refit

IMOCA 60 Class' only major race this year prior to the Vendee Globe will go ahead

Latest arrivals in the Transat Jacques Vabre

As Banque Populaire overtakes MACIF to claim third

Most of the IMOCA 60s are now into the Caribbean Sea