And just one third of a miles to go, Dee was making 10 knots in the puff as the breeze picked up for a few minutes.

1.6 miles to finish and Dee can see the line clearly and is steering her Aviva, trying to fix her eyes on the sails and concentate, just savouring these moments, storing them up never to forget them. And all the time now her gaze drops back to the line, shimmering in front of her. The end of the adventure is in sight. And her team have their bags on ready to leap on board with a pizza for Dee. Seven knots of boat speed.

And she slows a little, no hardship, 2.2 miles to go at 13.55 local time. Is there a chance that bow number 222 could finish at 2.22? Helicopters up now, sailing boats. Alain Gautier, saferty consultant and winner of the second edition of the race, driving the RIB with Golding, looking on appreciatively.

2.5 miles to the finish and MIke Golding is alongside in a rib with Bruno Dubois and Laurent from North Sails France offering their hearty congratulations. Two British girls in the top six of this Vendee Globe is amazing....and Dee's only remaining problem is that she just can't stop smiling. And three boats finishing within 12 hours is just fantastic. Brian had such a warm welcome into the channel this morning, it is such a lovely day you would expect the same for Dee, though she will have to wait until after 1800hrs local time to get into the Channel. That is not going to be too much of a hardship given the weather, giving her three or four hours to enjoy with those closest to her.

She is eased off on a beam reach, Aviva picking up speed with the puffs, as keen to get to the finish as Dee is, she is focussed on where the line is 3.82 miles away, so counting down the last 15 minutes of her amazing Vendee Globe. Her race started as amazingly as it is finishing, no wonder she looks ecstatic.  The shafts of sunlight streaming through the two big areas of delamination, above the second batten and above the first batten.

Dee has 5.25 miles to go and looks deliriously happy on this beautiful afternoon, just 7-9 knots of breeze and almost warm sunshine, she is making 9 knots and her mainsail looks bad, very bad but it is holding its shape and driving her nicely, full main and G2 genoa, she is waving to the photographers every two or three minutes as the spectator fleet grows. She is en route for sixth, a huge achievement in just over two years of Open 60 sailing. Her family and friends are in close and making huge cheers. She has Les Sables d'Olonne in her view, that familiar outline she last saw on 9th November, 99 days ago.