1000 Milles

Brittany Ferries-backed event for the Class 40s to take place again in 2008

Following the success of the first racein 2007, Brittany Ferries and the Societe Nautique de la Baie de Saint-Malo (SNBSM) have officially announced they will again run their 1000 Milles race this year. The race, exclusively for Class 40s, will again set sail from Saint Malo on 24 August, 2008.

The idea for the 1000 Milles Brittany Ferries race is simple: a 1000 mile long course held on the same routes as Brittany Ferries destinations, stopping at each port for just six hours. Thus the course is once again Saint Malo-Plymouth-Santander-Saint-Malo.

"The race tests the new prototypes, in various weather conditions," said competitor Jean-Edouard Criquioche at the end of the last race. "We went through all possible conditions imaginable. A very good test! "added another Benoit Parnaudeau, while Yvan Noblet said: "We will take part in the next edition of 1000 Miles Brittany Ferries; it's a great race and course. "

The first race was held in August 2007 saw eight crews competing, many using the event as a qualification for the Transat Jacques Vabre. The skippers tackled the English Channel, before long leg across the Bay of Biscay. Here three crews were forced to abandon the race: Chocolats Monbana, sistership Appart City and Merci les Amis. Those arriving at the Spanish coast experienced a lack of wind. Finally the reverse route back along the Brittany coast to the start port: Saint-Malo. After a week of racing it was Dominic Vittet and Thierry Chabagny on ATAO Audio Systems, which took first place. Second on the podium was Parnaudeau/Caso on Jardin Bio-Prévoir. Jean-Edouard Criquioche and Louis Duc on Choice Hotels were third.

This year's race will start on 24 August shortly after the Quebec-Saint Malo. It will have particular connotations for the ferry company, that marks 30 years on the Plymouth-Santander line.