Alex Thomson (18 April 1974 in Bangor, Wales) is a British yachter.
Alex Thomson was helped early in his sailing career by Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London's victorious bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and set up with British America’s Cup campaign TEAMORIGIN. With Mills backing, Thomson broke into the professional solo sailing circuit at a young age.
He is the youngest skipper ever to win a round-the-world yacht race (1998-1999 Clipper Race). He is an around the world solo sailor, and holds the 24-hour world speed sailing record for solo mono-hulls (468 nm at an average speed of 19.5 kts).
Sponsored by Hugo Boss he took part in the Vendee Globe 2004/05 but was forced to retire after damage to the carbon fitting that attached the boom to the deck.[1]