Conrad Humphreys: Looking forward to Vendee Globe

Plymouth-based Mr Humphreys, 31, crossed the finish line in Boston in his 60ft yacht Hellomoto with a time of 13 days, 20 hours and 24 mins.

The 2,800 mile Transat race started in Plymouth on Monday 1 June.

The Open 60 class race of 15 boats was won by Southampton-based skipper Mike Golding in a record time of 12 days, 15 hours and 18 mins.

I've certainly got a lot more confidence in myself and in the boat Conrad Humphreys

The finish for Humphreys came after an intense battle with Nick Moloney on Skandia over most of the race.

But he lost his hold over his rival when he was totally becalmed for eight hours on Thursday night and watched Skandia sail away.

There was little Humphreys could do to make up the 100 miles lost but he defended his fifth place position from the chasing pack of French skippers Marc Thiercelin and Herve Laurent.

Now he will be setting his sights on the Vendee Globe round-the-world race which starts in November.

Unleashed potential

He said: "Clearly, work needs to be done on the sails and sheeting configuration, but she's not that much off the pace.

"Also I know I can make improvements on my tactical and weather skills and turn this into an advantage for the Vendee.

"She's really just a pussycat right now and has so much more potential we can unleash.

"I've certainly got a lot more confidence in myself and in the boat for the Vendee now than I ever did at the start of The Transat."

Frenchman Michel Desjoyeaux, 38, was the overall race winner, completing the course in his 60ft trimaran Geant on Monday in eight days, eight hours and 29 mins.

The first Transat race in 1960, when it was called The Ostar, was won by Sir Francis Chichester in his 40ft yacht Gipsy Moth III in 40 days, 12 hours and 30 mins.