Armel Le Cléac’h held off a late surge from the British sailor Alex Thomson to win the Vendée Globe round-the-world race on Thursday with a record time.
Le Cléac’h, a Frenchman, finished the race in 74 days. François Gabart set the previous record of 78 days in the 2012-13 edition of the race, which is held every four years and sailed entirely without assistance.