# Jean Le Cam

Jean Le Cam (born 27 April 1959 in Quimper, Finistère) is a French sailor.
In 1981–82, he was a crewmember on Euromarché in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.
Le Cam was crewman with Éric Tabarly and Michel Desjoyeaux, and won the Solitaire du Figaro in 1994, 1996, and 1999. He later took an interest in multihull ships.
He finished second in the Vendée Globe 2004-2005, arriving just a few hours after the winner Vincent Riou.
On 6 January 2009, whilst competing in the 2008-2009 edition of the Vendée Globe, he went missing 200 miles from Cape Horn. Vincent Riou, the then skipper of PRB, rescued Jean Le Cam from his upturned IMOCA 60. Le Cam was trapped inside his upturned yacht for 16 hours during which time it was not known for certain if he was safe inside his boat or not.
On 30 November 2020, 16:15 UTC, whilst competing in the Vendée Globe 2020-2021 the roles were reversed when Le Cam conducted a nighttime rescue of fellow competitor and PRB skipper Kevin Escoffier, after Escoffier's yacht broke apart 840 miles southwest of Cape Town, Africa. Once the rescue was complete Le Cam rejoined the race, with Escoffier aboard. Escoffier was later recovered from Le Cam's 'Yes we Cam' yacht by the French Navy on 6 December 2020. Le Cam was awarded a 16hr 15min time compensation for rescuing Kevin Escoffier. Jean Le Cam crossed the finish line on 28 January 2021 at 19:19:55 UTC+1 in 8th place with an elapsed time of 81d 05h 59m 55s. With his time compensation added he is ranked in 4th place and a total time of 80d 13h 44m 55s. It was already his 5th participation in the Vendée Globe.
Le Cam was appointed chevalier of the French Légion d’honneur in July 2021.

## Career highlights

| Pos | Year | Race | Class | Boat Name | time | Notes |
| Round the World Races |||||||
| 20 / 40 | 2025 | 2024–2025 Vendée Globe | IMOCA 60 | Tout commence en Finistère - Armor-lux | 85d 15h 51m 02s | |
| 4 / 33 | 2021 | 2020–2021 Vendée Globe | IMOCA 60 | Yes We Cam! | 80d 13h 44m 55s | |
| 6 / 29 | 2017 | 2016–2017 Vendée Globe | IMOCA 60 | Finistère Mer Vent | 80d 04h 41m 54s | |
| 1 / 8 | 2015 | Barcelona World Race | IMOCA 60 | Chem | 84d 05h 50m 25s | with Bernard Stamm (SUI) |
| 5 / 20 | 2013 | 2012–2013 Vendée Globe | IMOCA 60 | SynerCiel | 88d 00h 12m 58s | |
| DNF | 2009 | Barcelona World Race | IMOCA 60 | Président, ESP 3 | with Bruno Garcia (ESP) | | with Bruno Garcia (ESP) | |
| RET / 30 | 2009 | 2008–2009 Vendée Globe | IMOCA 60 | VM Matériaux | Lost keel and capsized rescued by Vincent Riou | Lost keel and capsized rescued by Vincent Riou |
| 2 / 20 | 2005 | 2004–2005 Vendée Globe | IMOCA 60 | Bonduelle | 87d 17h 20m 08s | |
| 10 | 1982 | Whitbread Round the World Race | Maxi | Euromarché | | skippered by Éric Tabarly (FRA) |
| Transatlantic Races |||||||
| 32 | 2023 | Retour à la base | IMOCA 60 | Tout commence en Finistère - Armor-lux | 18d 5h 37m 24s | |
| 13 | 2019 | Transat Jacques Vabre | IMOCA 60 | Corum l'épargne (2007) | | with Nicolas Troussel (FRA) |
| 1 | 2013 | Transat Jacques Vabre | IMOCA 60 | PRB 5 | | with Vincent Riou (FRA) |
| 6 | 2010 | Transat AG2R | Beneteau Figaro 2 | | | |
| ABN | 2009 | Transat Jacques Vabre | Multi 50 | Actual | | with Yves Le Blévec (FRA) |
| 5 | 2008 | Transat AG2R | Beneteau Figaro 2 | Cercle Vert | 23d 01h 31m 45s | with Gildas Morvan (FRA) |
| 4 | 2007 | Transat Jacques Vabre | IMOCA 60 | VM Matériaux | | with Gildas Morvan (FRA) |
| 2 | 2006 | Route du Rhum | IMOCA 60 | Bonduelle | 12d 12h 26m 53s | |
| 3 | 2005 | Transat Jacques Vabre | IMOCA 60 | Bonduelle | | with Kito de Pavant (FRA) |
| ABN | 2002 | Route du Rhum | IMOCA 60 | Bonduelle | | |
| 4 | 2001 | Transat Jacques Vabre | IMOCA 60 | Bonduelle | | with Jacques Caraes (FRA) |
| 4 | 1999 | Transat Jacques Vabre | IMOCA 60 | Sill Entreprise | | with Roland Jourdain (FRA) |
| 5 | 1996 | Transat AG2R | Beneteau Figaro | Guy Cotten - Chattawak | 24d 13h 20m 09s | with Florence Arthaud (FRA) |
| 1 | 1994 | Transat AG2R | Beneteau Figaro | Sill plein fruit - France III | 20d 20h 34m 26s | with Roland Jourdain (FRA) |
| 5 | 1992 | Transat AG2R | Beneteau Figaro | sur Mory | | with Dominic Vittet (FRA) |
| Other Significant Races |||||||
| | | Formula 40 World Championship | Formula 40 | | | |