The British solo sailor Alex Thomson has smashed the single-handed monohull transatlantic record, by more than 24 hours, crossing the finish line at Lizard Point, off Falmouth in Cornwall, in time to get back for the London Olympic Opening ceremony.

Alex crossed the line at 17:17 GMT (18:17 BST) setting the new time at 8 days 22 hours 8 minutes, beating the previous record, subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, which had been held for 10 years.

Alex started the race from New York on July 17th and covered 2800 nautical miles in his quest to break the record for what is officially known as the ‘West to East Ambrose Lighthouse to Lizard Point Under 60ft Single-Handed Monohull Record, Male’, which sat at 10 days, 55 minutes and 19 seconds, and was set by Swiss sailor Bernhard Stamm 10 years ago.

Alex is also lining up to attempt to be the first Brit ever to win the gruelling single-handed round-the-world race, the Vendee Globe, leaving from France in November on board his 60ft monohull, HUGO BOSS.

Caterham Composites played an important role in the development of Alex’s Hugo Boss yacht since starting work with the team in January 2012. A team of engineers from Caterham Composites have most recently been working with their counterparts at AlTR in Barcelona to help prepare Hugo Boss for the transatlantic crossings, using their knowledge of lightweight structural materials and their applications to reduce weight in the yacht and improve reliability.

Alex Thompson said;

Its been a long few days since setting off from New York. When I started I had no idea if I was going to do it. It has been hard with problems with broken equipment and a lack of sleep but it is amazing to have broken it by such a margin and I am very happy to be sharing this moment with the team at Caterham Composites for their ongoing support in this campaign and our future endeavors.

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Biography Caterham Composites (formerly Composite Designs) is an independent specialist company delivering turn-key solutions with a focus on aerospace, automotive and motorsports industries. Formula One is the leading industry in structural lightweight solutions and applied technology. Through the highest level of involvement, covering more than 25 years, we empower our clients with unparalleled expertise. Caterham Composites combines this depth of experience with groundbreaking technology to tailor cutting-edge innovative solutions for our clients needs.