ROUND the world racer Alex Thomson has announced that his team are building a new boat for his tilt at winning the Vendee Globe in 2016.

Thomson, from Gosport, finished third in the last edition of the race in 2012 and now has his sights on the top spot.

The new boat, a 60ft ocean racing boat designed for sailing solo, will cost more than £2.5million.

Stewart Hosford, boss of Alex Thomson Racing, said: “We want to take advantage of the very latest design thinking but also get the boat in the water early enough to ensure reliability.

“We have a simple objective and that is to put Alex Thomson on the start line with a boat that is as good, if not better, than all the other boats that will line up on the Ocean Masters circuit.”

In the meantime, Thomson is preparing to take on the Barcelona World Race, a double handed, non-stop, round the world race starting on New Year’s Eve, with co-skipper Pepe Ribes.

He said: “We have worked hard to put together the right combination to make a successful project.

“We feel that we have put ourselves in-phase with the right designers and the right team internally and externally to be fully competitive through this cycle.

“I feel honoured and privileged to have this opportunity – I cannot wait.”