The vastly experienced duo, Bernard Stamm (SUI) Jean Le Cam (FRA) won the Barcelona World Race 2014-15 and setting the reference time for the two crew round the world race: 84 days, 5 hours, 50 minutes and 25 seconds to complete the 23,321.76 miles of the theoretical course.
Bernard Stamm and Jean Le Cam: Two established ocean racing stars with long, established track records
is a happy man this evening. Just before Christmas 2013, in fact during the night between 23rd and 24th December, he had to be rescued after his IMOCA 60 completely split in two in force 9 winds and 10 metre waves when he was delivering his boat back to Brest from Brasil after racing in the Transat Jacques Vabre. Stamm made global headlines, describing later how he knew that in order to survive he had to take to the icy waters of the Western Approaches 170 miles from the Scilly Isles to 'swim for my life'
A year later he started this round the world race, and now, today Stamm has achieved his third victory in a round the world race, the first one non stop and two handed. The 51 year old Swiss had already won the Around Alone 2002/03 solo; and again in 2006/07, under the most recent name of Velux 5 Oceans.
Theirs has proven a remarkable part nership of close equals, a pair who have delivered victory thanks to their many, many years experiences, good and bad. They had never sailed together as a duo before this race, but had both achieved notable successes, racing two handed. Le Cam wins the 2013-2014 IMOCA Ocean Masters World Championship, Stamm is runner up.
In turn, in his fifth round the world race , French legend Jean Le Cam, 55, known by some in his native France as "Le Roi Jean" (King Jean), adds his first ever outright victory in a round the world race to an extensive ocean racing record which stretches back 31 years, including second in the solo Vendée Globe in 2004-5 behind Vincent Riou.
In fact after winning 2013's Transat Jacques Vabre to Brazil with Riou,Le Cam has now won the two biggest IMOCA two-handed races back to back.
Track Record
Transat Jacques Vabre 2013 (1st), with Vincent Riou, on PRB (IMOCA 60) double-handed
Transat AG2R 2010 (6th)
Transat AG2R 2008 (4th)
Transat Jacques Vabre 2007 (4th)
Route du Rhum 2006 (2nd) on VM Matériaux (IMOCA 60) solo
Transat Jacques Vabre 2005 (3rd), with Kito de Pavant, on Bonduelle (IMOCA 60) double-handed
Transat Jacques Vabre 2001 (4th), with Jacques Caraës, on Bonduelle (ORMA 60) double-handed
Transat Jacques Vabre 1999 (4th)
Transat AG2R 1996 (2nd), with Florence Arthaud (Figaro) double-handed
Transat AG2R 1994 (1st), with Roland Jourdain (Figaro) double-handed
The Discovery Route 1984 (1st), with Philippe Poupon
Atlantic record 1982, on Jet Services II (Maxicatamaran) with Patrick Morvan, full crew
After losing his IMOCA 60 to a storm on Christmas Eve in 2013, Bernard Stamm signed a hire with option to purchase deal for Jörg Riechers' former boat, which had been sailing as Mare. This is a yacht from the Farr studio, launched in 2007, taken by Michel Desjoyeaux to Vendée Globe victory in 2008/09 and later sailed to second place in the Barcelona World Race 2010/11 by Iker Martínez and Xabi Fernández. It later took the Vendée Globe 2012/13 start with Jérémie Beyou. The boat has been refitted a number of times to ensure it is up to date with the class rules. Bernard and Jean have also made some changes of their own.