Well, okay—it wasn’t that easy, it was a really tough race! Apart from the initial mild conditions, the 2024 Middle Sea Race was hit by a violent storm. About a third of the entire fleet turned back in the first hour, returning to the start harbour. Masts were breaking, gennakers shredded—gusts up to 70 knots!
It was the toughest edition of the race in many years.
But we kept going with smart decisionmaking and high concentration. And we even managed to keep the boat fast. To win one of the most prestigious regattas in the world, in such brutal conditions, with a charter boat—it’s incredibly satisfying!
Podium-Proven. Owner-Approved. Why First Boats Stand Out
Czech First 27 SE owner and skipper Milan Tomek is considered one of the most skilled Beneteau First sailors and one of the most active racers in the First community. We asked him about his experience with the First 27 SE— and First 36, and managed to uncover a few sailing secrets along the way…
Many of you will have heard his name before: Milan Tomek. The tall, friendly Czech is one of the most active regatta sailors in the First community—there’s hardly a Beneteau First SE Challenge where he hasn’t been on the starting line.
Middle Sea Race 2024: Triumph with a Standard First 36
Middle Sea Race, Fastnet, or Silverrudder: only with a First.
What would this article be without Milan & Milan’s Middle Sea Race triumph last year?
From the get-go, the two friends won the race aboard a simple chartered (!) First 36.
Hard to believe—but true:
The yacht was on a charter trip in Greece just a week before we raced it. After the race, another family took it out for a two-week vacation! Only possible with a First!
And the boat itself?
It wasn’t optimised or equipped for racing, A totally standard First 36, nothing special.
So how did they win?
I’d say it was a combination of a lot of small, maybe even clever tactical decisions we made during the race. And the power this boat brings straight from the factory. Winning is in the DNA of the First!
With such a capable boat, Milan and Milan could focus entirely on tactics, weather routing, and clean, efficient manoeuvres.
Milan Tomek and Milan Kolaček, on a perfectly executed race with BENETEAU First 36, crowned victory in IRC Double-Handed and 1st place in ORC Cat 5 on Rolex Middle Sea Race 2024.
Photo credits: M. Tomek & M. Kolaček
Other Regatta Highlights
Milan’s latest regatta win—including in the ORC 5 class and in the double-handed division—was the prestigious Rolex Middle Sea Race 2024.
Milan and co-skipper Milan Koláček won it aboard a First 36.
In the same year, Milan secured a victory at Vegvisir Race, a 158-nautical-mile single-handed race.
Similarly dominant, the year before, Milan won the Silverrudder 2023 on his First 27 SE.
Milan also won the 10th BENETEAU First SE Challenge 2024 on his First 27 SE.
2023 Silverrudder – Challenge of the Sea: Milan secured first place in this renowned single-handed race around Denmark's Funen island, a testament to his skill and endurance in solo sailing
Photo credits : M. Tomek
Beneteau First SE Challenge 2024 – Milan Tomek (First 27 SE)
How Milan Learned to Sail
Like many other kids, I started with classic dinghies like the Opti and the 420, after university (in “real life,” Milan runs a company specialising in refrigeration technology, his passion for sailing took over: every spare minute on the sheets!) over the years, I went through various phases. I tried a lot of boats, classes, and regattas—testing them all out.
Rolex Fastnet RACE - Milan Tomek, Sam Manuard, Andraž Mihelin, Jure Jerman & First 36
Key moments were his time with the sailing teams Giulia and Hebe, where he gained experience on the Italia Yachts 9.98 (designed by Matteo Polli) and the legendary M37 by Cossutti.
Milan threw himself into it: racing on the M37, a JP54 by JP Dick with a canting keel, or the iconic Beneteau Figaro 2 by Marc Lombard.
He raced the Middle Sea Race multiple times. He chartered berths on racing yachts, including a VO70 from the Volvo Ocean Race during one of his first Fastnet attempts.
He would return to that legendary “race of all races” several times—once even to sail the then-brand-new First 36 with its designer, Sam Manuard.
And of course, I had to try the Pogos! - Milan grins - these full-planing hulls opened my eyes to what planing can really mean for a sailboat. I tried them all: Pogo 12.50, Pogo 30 and 36, even the then-new Pogo 44.
It was here that Milan’s “addiction” to planing began—something most First skippers can relate to. Vegvisir, Silverrudder, the famous Jabuka Race, and many more renowned events like Round Long Island and Centomiglia followed.
But, Milan says, things really took off with the First 27 SE.
Family and Sailing Life
Milan’s family—three kids aged 4 to 14 and his wife—are the perfect cross-section of First sailors: they spend as much time on the water as they possibly can.
Sometimes it’s just Milan and his kids, other times it’s the whole team on their home waters of Lake Lipno.
During the summer holidays, they go charter sailing in Croatia—or even offshore in the Indian Ocean.
But at home, when Dad starts getting that sailing itch, it’s got to be fast. It’s got to plane. It’s got to win: First!
Photo credits : Milan Tomek
First 27 SE: Milan’s Boat of Choice
Milan’s story with our First boats began just over four years ago in the Czech Republic. It was an early-autumn outing with his youngest son to a local reservoir. They walked the now-half-empty docks when the boy asked:
Dad, why aren’t we sailing today? The weather’s so nice!"
That, says Milan, was a turning point.
“Why isn’t there a boat we could just bring here, rig up, and sail? A boat that sails great but also lets you sleep aboard with your kid. If only something like that existed…
That same weekend, the Tomeks scoured the internet.
I wanted a fast racer, ideally a real one-design class where I could push hard,” says Milan. “My wife wanted something with comfortable berths and, most importantly, a real marine toilet."
Naturally, they chose the First 27 SE.
The many stories, tips, and experiences from the Seascape community helped a lot, one Dutch owner even offered him a test sail. Just two weeks later, Milan sailed one—for the first time, still called Seascape 27.
"I was immediately blown away by how light and agile it felt! And the fun factor! It was as responsive as a dinghy—but with power and stability. I’d never experienced anything like the First 27 SE before!
I’ve owned my own First 27 SE for four years now. I had to have it—because I fell in love with it on that very first sail.” Milan says he still grins every time he sails it.
“It has real offshore racing potential but feels like a dinghy. There’s nothing complex or intimidating—something I can’t say about every other yacht I’ve sailed.
And the best part, says Milan, is that the 27 SE is perfect for holidays and cruising too. Just put it on a trailer, hitch it to the car, and head to a new spot: rigging and launch take less than two hours.
For me, the 27 SE combines the best of sailing fun, performance, adventure, and freedom!
The Magic of First Boats
The best thing about the First SE is that I can use it for the craziest races in Europe—Silverrudder, Vegvisir, Midsummer Solo Challenge, and so on—and then take the same boat for weekend or vacation cruises with my kids or friends! No modifications needed: it just works.
Anchoring in quiet coves, swimming with the kids? Absolutely, says Milan.
My kids love it! We cruise the coast, discover new anchorages—thanks to the swing keel, it’s no problem. We sleep aboard, we cook aboard… it really can cruise!
This versatility is what makes the First 27 SE so unique!
What excited me about the Beneteau Firsts from Seascape from the very beginning—and what sets them apart from everything else—is the consistent execution of the idea to combine simplicity with performance.
No other boat implements this concept so thoroughly! Making planing safe and manageable—almost intuitive—that’s something only the First does this elegantly. Everything on a First is designed so that you can actively sail the boat and still stay safe and in control. There’s no unnecessary complexity, no gimmicks!
The secret of these boats is that they hold the key to easy-to-control, fast planing. And that key is, in my opinion, one word: balance.
A First starts planing early—around 7.5 knots—and stays in control the whole time, without overpowering. They forgive small mistakes and immediately reward good trim.
It’s the combination of speed, safety, and simplicity that makes the 27SE and 36SE so unique.
Published on 21.10.2025