And despite the fact it is 2.53 in the morning the crowds are lining the canal in big numbers and making a lot of noise, on the foredeck now are Bilou, Kito and Jean Le Cam and Yann Elies is beside them in a Zodiac

And Marco has his technical team on board and he will take on the invited skippers, those who did not finish. Just a matter of half a mile from the channel. So he will begin his entry into the channel almost immediately.

Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) was 32 miles from the finish at 0130h GMT, making 7 knots.

And with the half moon on his bow after a final tack he crosses the line on port tack in third at 01:21:36  GMT  trimming his sails through the last minutes,  making 5 knots Elapsed time 95 days 3 hours 19 mins 36 secs WITH redress rage speeed on theoretical route 10.87 knots 1 21 36 GMT finish time real distance sailed 28,401 miles. Lead over Sam Davies 1 hr 19 min 25 sec

And the race committee welcome into their proximity with a few well chosen words of congratulations, confirming he will be third, he is on the deck to check now as he approaches the line.

And Marco is making one last tack now, a careful gentle manoeuvre to lay the line, Guillemot settles his boat  for  the last few hundred metres, making 7 knots and he is due to cross the line in a few minutes.