Skippering Aquitaine Innovations, Parlier blasted through the Southern Ocean covering 419 nautical miles in 24 hours, more than 22 miles further than the previous record for a single-handed sailor.

"My objective is still to finish on February 11, although I've beaten the record, I haven't pushed the machine," said Parlier.

If he finishes then, he will complete the journey in 95 days and knock 10 days off the current record for the race.

Notorious Cape Horn

The previous best distance travelled in 24 hours was achieved by another Frenchman, Marc Thiercelin in 1998, who travelled 396.5 nautical miles in the time.

The Vendee Globe race started from Les Sable d'Olonne, France, on 9 November, and takes the fleet of 20 boats still competing down the Atlantic Ocean, around Antarctica in an easterly direction.

After rounding the notorious Cape Horn, they sail back up the Atlantic to where they started, with the current record of 105 days, set by Frenchman Christophe Augin in the last race, four years ago.