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

Vendee Globe race favourite Armel le Cleac'h tells us of his campaign

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

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

As the IMOCA 60s join the Longtzes and Dragons

Victory for MACIF skipper Francois Gabart in his first solo IMOCA 60 race

Race committee announces that solo IMOCA 60 race will finish at the safety gate

Storm force winds forecast for the Transat B to B crews

Francois Gabart and MACIF extend in the IMOCA 60's Transat B to B

Transat B to B organisers attempt to keep their boats south

IMOCA 60s up to 20 knots in the Transat B to B