Start date confirmed for Mini Transat

La Rochelle, France (October 2, 2019) – The waiting game is over for the 87 solo Mini 6.50 sailors competing in the 22nd edition of the Mini-Transat La Boulangère. Initially scheduled for September 22, the storms in the Bay of Biscay have moved on to allow the starting signal for the first leg (La Rochelle to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria) to sound on October 5.

“Conditions are set to improve in the Bay of Biscay,” reports Jean Saucet, Technical Director. “There’s an opening on Saturday (Oct. 5) so we’re going for it! The exit from the bay will be no picnic for the competitors, but the wind and swell will be reasonable.”

The Mini 6.50, a noted offwind flyer, struggles upwind in a sea due to the design trends promoting scow hull shapes to maximize surfing performance.

Event details – Entry list – Facebook

Race Format:
The first leg begins September 22 (rescheduled for October 5) from La Rochelle, France and extends 1350 nm to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. After an often complicated exit of the Bay of Biscay, sailors will expect some long slips down the Portuguese coast before arriving after 7 to 10 days in the Canary archipelago.

The second leg will start November 1 from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and will take from 15 to 20 sailing days to complete the 2700 nm course and reach Le Marin in Martinique, French West Indies. Due to the numerous islands, the restart from the Canary can be tricky before reaching the famous trade winds that offer a long downwind run.

Source: Effetsmer