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| - Alex Thomson's hopes of becoming the first non-Frenchman to win the Vendee Globe appeared to be dwindling as he slipped 270 nautical miles behind the leaders while battling to repair his boat, race organisers announced on Monday. The Welshman, who was leading the solo non-stop round-the-world yacht race, ran into difficulty late on Saturday, around 800 miles east of Rio de Janeiro, when he reported a "possible structural issue" with his boat Hugo Boss. He was forced to cut speed to six knots which allowed French skippers Charlie Dalin in Apivia and Thomas Ruyant in LinkedOut to go ahead. Dalin found some extra wind to take over the lead on Monday and is now around 20nm ahead of Ruyant. There is a big gap back to French veteran Jean Le Cam in Yes We Cam! who also moved past Thomson, who is now back in fifth. In a message that was posted by his team, Thomson said the problem was "a bit of a shock" at first but that it could have been a lot worse. "It's repairable and we're not yet in the Southern Ocean," said Thomson who liaised with his team on Sunday and began repair works inside the bow. "I'm disappointed obviously but this is the Vendee Globe," he said. "This is what it entails. You've got to be able to deal with this stuff. The rules of the race do not permit skippers to put ashore or have anyone else on the boat at any time, meaning they have to carry out all repairs themselves. "This is why we carry these materials and tools and why we're generally very good at being able to deal with these things. "Normally I feel angry and sad and emotional but I don't this time. I just need to get on with it. "I'm sure at some point the emotions may go the other way but, for now, there is only one thing to do, and that is to get the job done as best as I possibly can. "I will do whatever it takes to stay in the race." Dalin, Ruyant and Thomson are in the new generation of 'foilers' -- boats equipped with foils which help lift the boat so that it is virtually flying across the top of the waves -- as they descend a corridor of modest breeze between two evolving zones of lighter airs, an 800nm stairway down to the strong winds of the Southern Ocean. So far in the competition, there has only been one abandonment from the 33 starters, that of Nicolas Troussel after a dismasting last Monday off Cape Verde. Jeremie Beyou, also in a 'foiler' had to return to the start to repair his boat Charal before setting off again on Tuesday. The finishers will complete approximately 24,296 nautical miles around the globe before they finish back in France at some point in January. bsp/gj
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