A procession of sail boats meandered down the River Thomas today as a 12-strong fleet of yachts marked an emotional conclusion to the gruelling race round the globe.
Hundreds of amateur sailors celebrated the completion of the 40,000-nautical-mile ocean race - the world's longest - by finishing under the capital's Tower Bridge.
Hardy competitors had survived ferocious weather conditions - including menacing 90-foot waves and wild gusts of up to 100mph - in what organisers described as being 'an endurance test like no other'.
The return of the 70-foot ships to London, where the race began last August, signalled the end of an epic marathon that has taken them through 14 ports and six continents.
But their homecoming was also tinged with sadness as crews remembered the two competitors who died during the challenge, the first fatalities in the race's 20-year history.
