Mini Transat fleet remains on stand-by

Douarnenez, France (October 17, 2013) – Severe conditions continue to postpone the start of the 84-boat Mini Transat, which was originally scheduled to start on October 13.

The current situation, there is an anticyclonic cell of 1020 hpa to the south of France that is resulting in moderate winds from the south to southwest in the Bay of Biscay, however there remains a westerly swell of from 3 to 3.5 meters. But this is only temporary. By tomorrow evening a frontal trough running from the south of Ireland all the way to Portugal, will be moving east and will gradually influence areas to the west of 5° west with winds gusting up to 30 knots off the Brittany peninsular and up to 40 knots around 100 miles north and west of Cape Finisterre, all in a strong cross sea.

Saturday 19th, behind the front, the situation remains unstable in the Bay of Biscay with strong to very strong winds in a southwesterly flow and the possibility of some thunderstorms. The sea will remain rough through the 19th and is expected to be rough to very rough on Sunday 20th with swells reaching 4 to 5 meters in an unstable southwesterly flow where the average wind speed is likely to reach 25 knots. There will be an even more marked decline on Monday 21st around midday when southerly winds will dominate accompanied by violent gusts of up to 50 knots.

In the longer term this situation is expected to remain in place on the 22nd and 23rd October across the entire Bay of Biscay and the area surrounding Cape Finisterre with waves expected to exceed 5 meters!

Organizers are seeking a satisfactory weather window to safely get the fleet of 6.50m Mini Class singlehanders out of the Bay of Biscay and around Cape Finisterre on the northwestern tip of Spain.

Event website: http://www.minitransat.fr/

Original Schedule
October 13 – Leg 1: Douarnenez to Arrecife (Lanzarote), 1200 miles. Arrival in the Canary Islands between October 23 and 26.
November 9 – Leg 2: Arrecife to Pointe a Pitre, 2800 miles. Arrival in Guadeloupe between November 23 and 30.