At 06h24’38” GMT on Friday 14 May 2004, after 4 days, 14 hours 43 minutes and 38 seconds at an average speed of 9.22 knots of racing it is Jean Le Cam aboard Bonduelle that takes victory in the first edition of the 1000 milles de Calais race.

Despite a faultless race Bonduelle made the real break at the Fastnet rounding the famous halfway mark, tacking its way out of the clutches of a ridge of high pressure that enveloped the remainder of the fleet. This followed by a coastal option skirting along the thermals of southern England paid off against Mike Golding’s mid-Channel course on Ecover.

The crew aboard the Marc Lombard design Open 60 launched just over a month ago are Ronan Le Goff(34), Pascal Dourlen (38) and Yann Regniau(36) and Belgian Grégoire Metz(33). The crew will be awarded 12,600 Euros for their win.

Other than a cockpit that is open at the rear of the boat, Bonduelle is the exact sister-ship of Sill. She is also Jean Le Cam’s very first Open 60 footer. Bonduelle represents the new generation of Lombard designs and looks like a hot contender for the Vendée Globe 2004.