Australian skipper Katrina Ham completes Mini Transat qualification

by Audrey Knight on 28 Sep 2014 After a month of waiting, 26 year old Australian solo skipper Katrina Ham has received the all-important letter from Classe Mini confirming that her recent 1000 mile solo qualifier for the 2015 Mini Transat has been recognised and approved. This was the last step for Katrina in the qualification process for the 2015 race, after she completed the 1000 mile racing requirements earlier this year.

The 2015 Mini Transat will start next autumn, with 80 skippers racing solo across the Atlantic from Douarnenez, France to Guadaloupe in the Caribbean via the Canaries. They will race 21-foot pocket rockets that have no comforts, no bed, no toilet, no computers and most importantly no communication to land. Often described as 'mad', the race re-defines most people’s idea of solo sailing. It is reasons like these that make the Mini Transat the ultimate test of a sailor, which is why Katrina wants to complete it!

Less than a year ago, Katrina lost her previous boat in dramatic circumstances on the North coast of Spain during the 2013 Transat. Katrina said, 'The past year has been a complete roller coaster. The high of making it to the start of the 2013 Transat, after years of hard work and dedication, followed by the devastating low of losing my boat and nearly my life, under such circumstances. This was the most difficult thing I have ever faced. But I knew pretty soon afterwards that I still had the dream, and I had to find a way back, but this time to the finish line. I am not sure anything in the world compares to Classe Mini racing. It can be very tough at times but the spirit of the class and the sailors is extraordinary.'

Having decided to stay in France to pursue her dream, Katrina acquired another boat earlier this year, and then faced the massive task of qualifying again. During the 2014 season, she has completed 1000 miles of racing, by taking part in the Armen race, the Trophee MAP race and the Mini Fastnet. Then in early August, Katrina completed the 1000 mile solo passage course in just over eight days, with winds from 0-30kts. She said, 'To know I have completed all the qualification requirements is a great relief. I can now spend the winter and early 2015 concentrating on training and the other aspects of my campaign, without the added pressure of completing the qualification requirements.'

Qualification for the 2015 race represents a massive achievement for Katrina, who two years ago moved to France unable to speak a word of French, and without a job or a sponsor. 'I am lucky to have found a great support network especially here in France that has helped a lot to get back on track. Pantaenius has been amazing in supporting me during such a difficult time, and I am glad to have NKE as a technical partner: I might have a different boat this year, but I still get to use their brilliant autopilots.'

Katrina will continue to live in France until the start of the 2015 Mini Transat race. She will train with the Lorient Grande Large sailing group, while living in her van to save money and working as an English language teacher.

Katrina's 2015 Mini Transat qualification included:

A 1000 mile solo qualification passage – Lorient to Lorient and over 1000 miles of racing:

• Armen Race: 300 nautical miles, double-handed, starting and finishing in La Trinite-sur-Mer, France. Start date 29 May 2014
• Trophée MAP: 200 nautical miles, single-handed, starting and finishing in Douarnenez, France. Start date 12 June 2014
• Mini Fastnet, 700 nautical miles, double-handed, starting and finishing in Douarnenez, France. Start date 22 June 2014

The Mini Transat 650 is a solo transatlantic sailing race in 6.5m high-performance sailing boats. The race was conceived by Englishman Bob Salmon in the late 1970s. It is held every two years with the next race starting in 2015. Today up to 80 boats compete in the Mini Transat 650, the largest fleet of short-handed offshore racing yachts in the world.

The 2015 race will go from Douarnenez, France to the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean with a stopover in the Canary Islands. Rules state that there are no on board computers, including mapping GPS and all weather information is given to the fleet over VHF radio. The boats have no luxuries what so ever; no toilet, no bunk, no galley! With no communication with the outside world and no crewmates to talk to, the mental challenges are as tough as the physical ones. It is reasons like these that make the Mini Transat the ultimate test of a sailor.

2013 Transat After the first leg of the 2013 Mini Transat was delayed then diverted due to bad weather, Katrina’s boat was lost in the entrance to Ribadeo on the northern coast of Spain during a mass movement of the fleet to the new starting destination. Shortly after dark, whilst under tow from one of the Official Mini Transat Support Boats Katrina boat was towed into breaking waves where it was knocked down and Katrina was swept overboard but was still attached to the boat. 'If I had not been tethered to the boat at that moment, I have no doubt I would not be here today'.

Having seen Katrina’s boat adrift on AIS, a pilot boat was the first vessel to come to Katrina’s aid. Her bad fortune was set to continue as the skipper, who was the only person on the pilot boat, also ended up in the water. 'When the skipper of the pilot boat fell into the water and we were both swimming for our lives, I started to question if that was it. It wasn’t until the skipper managed to climb aboard and called for a third boat to come from the marina that anyone knew what really was going on. To have someone be put in such a situation coming to my aid really makes you think twice about risk and reward.' After being cleared from hospital Katrina was devastated to find that her boat and her Mini Transat dreams had been literally smashed to a million pieces on the coastline.