The French skipper Sébastien Josse is heading for New Zealand, probably Auckland, ending his dream of winning this Vendée Globe.

Josse, who was capsized by a huge wave on December 26, said that while he has spent the last three days sailing north towards better weather it is only within the last five or six hours that is became truly obvious that he would not be able to repair his British built Farr designedBT.

Josse had sailed an assured, highly creditable race until he was flattened by the wave which was driven by 60 knot gusts in a storm on Boxing Day.

He lead the race for eight days, balancing prudent strategies with fast boat speeds. He was in fourth place, one of the most consistent ‘four musketeers’ who have made the pace of this remarkable sixth edition of the Vendée Globe, and less than 140 miles behind Michel Desjoueaux when the incident happened.

Photo shows cracks in the deck/coachroof after knockdown