HAMPSHIRE sailing star Alex Thomson today starts his latest long distance epic journey.

The Gosport man is competing in the The Barcelona World Race, the only double-handed (two crew per boat), non-stop round the world regatta.

The race takes sailors on a 25,000 nautical mile course from Barcelona and back again, via the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn. The last time Thomson competed in The Barcelona World Race was in 2007-2008, when he and co-skipper Andrew Cape finished second.

This time, Thomson is competing alongside co-skipper, Pepe Ribes, one of Spain’s most experienced sailors.

Thomson and Ribes have over 35 years of off shore racing experience between them, and are competing on board a newer generation IMOCA 60 boat, which the HUGO BOSS team has recently acquired.

Thomson made headlines in 2013 when he successfully completed the gruelling Vendee Globe – a solo, unassisted round-the-world race – breaking a British record along the way.

Comparing the challenges of the Vendee Globe and the BWR, Thomson said: “The Barcelona World Race is mentally easier than the Vendee Globe because you have another person there with you.

“But the Barcelona World Race is a more difficult race physically than the Vendee.

“It’s a double handed race, so while there are two of you onboard, you are racing the boat to its full potential so it requires more physically.”

Thomson is the youngest yachtsman to ever win a round-the-world race. When he triumphed in the Clipper Round the World Race in 1998/99, he set a record he still holds today.

In 2003 Thomson made a spectacular debut in the world of solo sailing by breaking the distance world record.

In 2008 he claimed second position in the Barcelona World Race, setting his second distance world record in a monohull.

Following this, he focused completely on the world’s toughest single-handed yachting race, the Vendée Globe.

In 2013 he finished this classic in third place.