Mini Transat - Wait for weather window commences

by Solene Rennuit on 11 Oct 2013 A deep depression that sits off the Bay of Biscay could, if the Mini Transat start went ahead on Sunday, hit the fleet in the worst place, to the north of Cape Finisterre. To allow the soloists to reach Lanzarote in acceptable conditions, the Race Director has consulted the competitors and made this decision : the start is delayed waiting for a favorable weather window.

Some decisions are not easy to take. While Douarnenez is still in glorious sunshine, the threat is very real as a depression is currently centered in the Atlantic, level with the Azores, which is expected to generate strong winds and seas of more than four meters height during the day on Tuesday, ie precisely when the fleet will prepare to round Cape Finisterre .

The challenge will now be to find a favorable weather window to send 84 singlehanders into the Bay of Biscay. Because, from the moment the decision to postpone is taken, there must be guaranteed safe conditions. An opening could come during the day on Monday, but the situation remains highly uncertain. Otherwise, there is a good chance that the fleet will have to be patient until at least until next Thursday. Given this situation, the Race Director made a proposal to start tomorrow, Friday, at 18:00. Such a decision would only be made with the unanimous agreement of all the competitors. But some did not feel ready and the proposal was immediately abandoned.

Denis Hughes, Race Director: 'We have 84 solo sailors that we will send out on the water. There is no question of sending them in weather conditions that would not be acceptable. We had planned to bring forward the start, but in view of the preparation of some, this was not reasonable. '

Bertrand Nardin, President of Douarnenez Races: 'We are working to try to provide a regatta course in Douarnenez Bay on Sunday. The idea is to offer an alternative to the partners and families of the competitors who had planned to be present on the day of the start ... '

Program Friday, October 11, 2013 in Mini Transat Race Village, Douarnenez

10.00 to 19.00 : Village open to the public
10:30 : Conference Eurolarge ' Mini Class : An Offshore Laboratory ' - Auditorium / General Public
11.00 to 12.00 : Culinary Workshop - Espace CCI / General Public
11.00 to 12.00 : Meeting with Katrina Ham - partner stand of Katrina Ham / Partners , journalists
14.30 to 15.30 : Presentation of 10 skippers - Espace CCI / General Public
15.00 to 17.30 : Workshop, demonstration and tasting around ' seaweeds ' - Espace CCI / General Public
18.00 to 19.00 : Maritime Film 'L’homme de la route du Rhum' by Karel Prokop - Auditorium / General Public
18.00 to 18.30 : Live broadcast by France Bleu Breizh Izel – Espace CCI / General Public
18.30 to 21.30 : An evening reception hosted by CCI Quimper Cornouaille et CCI Guadeloupe – Race Village / Skippers , partners, journalists
21.00 : Party - Bar à Tribord/ General Event website