Mini Transat: Reset in Lanzarote

(September 29, 2015; Stage 1, Day 11) – After having broken his two bowsprits in the first stage of the Mini Transat – Îles de Guadeloupe, solo skipper François Jambou didn’t expect much of a welcome as he crossed the line in the small hours of the night. But, as the Minist community was celebrating the birthday of three of their own, they all moved to the series boat pontoon to make his arrival as memorable as possible.

Offshore sailing doesn’t mean everything. Three of the sailors in this first stage celebrated their birthdays at sea, between Douarnenez and Lanzarote. While they missed blowing out their birthday candles as they surfed along, they were given their righteous honours as soon as they arrived on the pontoons. And, as the minists are naturally expansive, as soon as they get out of their hours of solitude, it’s safe to say their arrival was an eventful one!

When the sailors are on land, you can really see the diversity of the group. If the competition group were to be sorted out according to the affinities between the racers, the family situations, the professional obligations, the different nationalities; they all have an impact on the choices they make.

Some are looking for a ship chandler to provide the correct screw, others have rented bikes or mopeds, according to their preferences, and some invade the beaches on the north of the island for sessions of surfing, paddle-board, or kite surfing for the more adventurous. Some take advantage of the rest time in Lanzarote to meet up with their family, decompress and think about other things. Everyone in this little world arranges to have the best 3 weeks off before their departure on the second stage, beginning on the 31st October.

Before being let loose into nature, the skippers have some obligations to meet, and some invitations to take up. Tomorrow, the PSP Flamant has asked the racers to visit them, to thank them for the support in this first stage, above and beyond their usual routine. On Saturday, the skippers will take children from the Arrecife Sailing Club on board their boats for a sail of several hours in the bay. Who knows when learning to sail could be useful for the children’s futures?

For the seven competitors still at sea, the main stakes are to cross the line before the race closes, even if it is six days after the arrival of the first prototype or series boat. It should not be a problem for most of them. Only some of them see the Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

The Spanish sailors, Aitor Ocerin (Iparbeltz) and Jesus Jimenez (Helly Hansen Tarifa) arrived in the night to validate their first stage, as well as Frédéric de Mesel (Double Trouble) and Sylvain Michelet (A chacun son Everest). Jan Heinze (Lonestar) and Xu Jingku (China Dream) are sheltered from all of this discomfort. It will be less simple for Fidel Turienzo (Satanas) who has to finish before Friday morning, and who still has almost 350 miles to go, whilst being threatened by becalming.

It will be an almost impossible mission for Maxime Eveillard (Héli Stratégy) who still has 1000 miles to go. Pilar Pasanau (Peter Punk) has, according to what she has said, given up after several days of becalming and fog, and has landed at Vigo.

The Rules of the Mini Transat îles de Guadeloupe are clear. Every competitor who finishes out of time (6 days after the first in each category) will be classed as out of time for the first stage. They can, however, join the second stage and be penalised for the first stage with added time of the closing line, plus 24 hours.

Race website – Race program – Tracker

Report by race media.

Background: For the 20th edition and for the second time, the Mini Transat – Îles de Guadeloupe returns to its origins with a start from Douarnenez (France). The Breton harbour will see the fleet of 72 solo sailors set off on September 19 to Lanzarote (Canary Islands), where the Mini 6.50 will complete stage one of the race. The second stage will start on October 31, taking the fleet across the Atlantic to finish some three weeks later in Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe). The 2,700 nautical mile race from France to the Caribbean is the longest solo race for the smallest of boats.