Alex Thomson is a British yachtsman and offshore racing sailor. He was born in Bangor, Wales in 1974 and became the youngest skipper to win an around the world race when he won the Clipper Round The World Race aged 25 in 1999.

Alex Thomson is most famous for his participation in the solo around the world race, the Vendée Globe, which he has competed in five times, all in partnership with his long-standing sponsors Hugo Boss. He also had the backing of Sir Keith Mills, who was one of his crew during the Clipper Race.

He first competed in the 2004/05 Vendée Globe but had to retire from the race after his IMOCA 60 yacht suffered gear failure to its boom gooseneck 2008 his Hugo Boss yacht was crashed into by a fishing boat just before the start. The yacht was repaired, and he started the race but again was forced to retire due to damage, as the hull began to crack.

In the 2012 edition of the race he finished 3rd, and improved on that placing again in 2016 where he finished 2nd, pushing eventual leader Armel le Cleac’h right to the finish despite having suffered damage to one of the foils of his Hugo Boss in the early stages.

It was during the 2016 race that Thomson set a new fastest reference time from Les Sables d’Olonne to the Equator of 9 days 7 h 02 min and the Cape of Good Hope of 17 days 22 h 58 min. He also holds the 24-hour world speed sailing record for a solo monohull, covering 536.81 nautical miles at an average speed of 22.36kts knots in 2017.