Sportsmanlike conduct has been on display at the start of the Vendee Globe.

Skipper Miranda Merron took a moment during a hectic day of resetting her rig to remember the moment the guns fell silent on Armistice Day, ending World War I.

Merron observed:

• “Mark a minute of silence at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Silent most of the day. Hoist a reaching sail, drop the storm jib, go nowhere for a while since there is now no wind. It’s got dark again in the meantime… gybe the boat for the new wind direction, rearrange the entire interior again… Next up – work out how to avoid being clobbered by tropical low Theta!”

Skipper Pip Hare tweeted a note of encouragement to former frontrunner Alex Thomson after the hull of his boat malfunctioned and he had to slow to make repairs.

Hare wrote:

• “Wishing @ATRacing99 all the best of luck in dealing with whatever problem he has. We may be sailing solo, but we’re all together in wishing him a safe and speedy return to the race.”

Thomson himself didn’t try to find fault for the break down. That’s the nature of the Vendee Globe, he observed:

• “I’m disappointed obviously but this is the Vendée Globe. This is what it entails. You’ve got to be able to deal with this stuff. This is why we carry these materials and tools, and why we’re generally very good at being able to deal with these things. … I will do whatever it takes to stay in the race.”