Bahrain Team Pindar skipper, Brian Thompson joined fellow competitors and crowds of over 120,000 people in France on Saturday at a spectacular Vendée Globe prize giving ceremony, which took place on the beach in Les Sables d’Olonne.

The occasion saw all 30 skippers who competed in the race, reunited for the first time since they set out on their epic non-stop, solo, round-the-world yacht voyage, on November 9, 2008.

The evening began with a celebration dinner in the Centre des Congrès Les Atlantes, hosted by President of the Vendée Globe, Philippe de Villiers. Then, as darkness fell, guests were escorted to a giant purpose-built podium, on the beach, where record crowds had turned out to honour their heroes and join in the celebrations.

Projected onto two giant screens, spectators enjoyed a stunning light and sound show and relived some of the extraordinary moments of the three month race. One-by-one, the skippers were invited to collect their trophies and share their special moments from the race.

Speaking from the event, Brian commented ”It has been an incredible evening and a wonderful way to mark the end of the race. For many of the skippers, including myself, completing the race has fulfilled a lifelong ambition and is the culmination of many years of hard work. My thanks goes out to everyone who has supported me, and in particular my family and Andrew Pindar, without whom, we would have never made it to the start line. I am especially proud to have sailed around the world in honour of His Majesty the King of Bahrain, as we look to new and exciting challenges with the Kingdom.”

This latest edition of the Vendee Globe, which takes place every four years has been heralded one of the toughest yet, with sailors pushing themselves and their boats to the limit. Brian was one of just 11 of the original 30 skippers, to complete the race, finishing in fifth place, after 98 days at sea.

Chairman of Bahrain Team Pindar, Andrew Pindar, who also attended the ceremony, commented “The Vendee Globe is a unique event which captures the hearts and imaginations of all sailing fans. Tonight has been a tremendous opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary courage and achievements of all the skippers who took part and also the millions of people around the world who have followed them throughout the race.”

The celebrations drew to a close with the presentation to race winner Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), who, after an incredible comeback, won the race for a second time. Then, in a crescendo of more amazing fireworks, which lit the French skies to signal the end of the 2008/9 event, the date of the next Vendée Globe was announced for October 21, 2012.