2015 Mini Transat - Îles de Guadeloupe - The Spanish Inn

by Mini Transat on 30 Sep 2015 All the skipper will remember their arrival in Lanzarote. After having broken his two bowsprits, 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 et Lanzarote. While they missed out on 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!

Each to their own route

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 shipchandler 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 three 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?

Last sprint before the close

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.

Closing of the finish line, according to the race manual

The Rules of the Mini Transat îles de Guadeloupe are clear. Every competitor who finishes out of time (six 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.