Roland Jourdain was welcomed back to dry land by Vendee Globe winner Michel Desjoyeaux and runner-up Ellen MacArthur as he took third place in the round-the-world yacht race.

The Frenchman's Sill Matines and La Potag�re yacht was greeted by thousands of spectators at Les Sables d'Olonne on Tuesday.

Desjoyeaux won the race last Saturday and MacArthur came in second the following day, but Jourdain was the first skipper to arrive in daylight, allowing the huge crowd a spectacular sight of his boat.

When he arrived at the port, Desjoyeaux and MacArthur climbed aboard and lifted him up in triumph.

Better winds

Jourdain said: "Michel Desjoyeaux and I have been friends for so long. We'll never leave each other and today a woman has come to separate us!"

There are still 13 skippers left at sea fighting for the remaining placings in the the Vendee Globe race.

Marc Thiercelin (Active Wear) has reached better winds, propelling him closer to home, and he expects to arrive at Les Sables d'Olonne on Saturday.

Dominique Wavre & Thomas Coville (Sodebo) are still crawling along at just three to six knots.

Desperate

Catherine Chabaud (Whirlpool), still just over a day's sailing behind, has come up the Atlantic without any traffic lights blocking her path, and could still surprise the two ahead.

Mike Golding (Team Group 4) has just 10 litres of fuel to finish the race in and is desperately trying to economise on consumption.

Yves Parlier (Aquitaine Innovations) is still reaching good boat speeds and hopes to arrive home on 20 March.

The last skipper in the race, Pasquale de Gregorio (Wind), will pass Cape Horn in two days time, as he still has 300 miles to go.

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Latest standings:
1. Michel Desjoyeaux (PRB). Finished 10 Feb at 20:08.
2. Ellen MacArthur (Kingfisher). Finished 11 Feb at 20:36.
3. Roland Jourdain (Sill Matines & La Potag�re). Finished 13 Feb 17:13.
4. Marc Thiercelin (Active Wear).
5. Dominique Wavre (Union Bancaire Priv�e).
6. Thomas Coville (Sodebo Savourons la Vie).
7. Catherine Chabaud (Whirlpool).
8. Mike Golding (Team Group 4).
9. Josh Hall (EBP).
10. Bernard Gallay (Voil�).
11. Joe Seeten (Nord Pas de Calais).
12. Patrice Carpentier (VM Mat�riaux).
13. Simone Bianchetti (Aquarelle.com).
14. Yves Parlier (Aquitaine Innovations).
15. Didier Munduteguy (DDP).
16. Pasquale de Gregorio (Wind).