Yachting: French skipper sails on

With only a quarter of a mast left, French skipper Yves Parlier has decided to carry on racing in the Vendee Globe solo round-the-world race.

Parlier's boat, Aquitaine Innovations, was dismasted in a squall on Tuesday, and the skipper indicated he was abandoning the race to head for help in Perth.

The Frenchman changed tack yesterday, building a jury rig from the 6m remaining from the 25m mast to continue on towards Cape Horn, 7000 miles east.

Parlier says he will be able to build a large tube to add to the mast so that he can complete his circumnavigation.