Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts Leaderboard 2024 2

2015 Mini Transat - Îles de Guadeloupe – The tailgunners

by Mini Transat on 12 Nov 2015
The big deal - 2015 Mini Transat - Îles de Guadeloupe Jacques Vapillon / Mini Transat http://www.minitransat.fr
2015 Mini Transat - Îles de Guadeloupe – When the leaders touch land in Guadeloupe, some will still have half of the Atlantic to cross before tasting a restorative ti punch, and meeting their friends and family. To top their misfortune, the trade winds which have blown vigorously so far, will weaken for a few days. At the front of the leaders, Frédéric Denis in prototype, and the Lipinski – Pulvé duo in series boats, continue alone. Behind them, the suspense remains about who will end up being placed. The last stages before Guadeloupe will be decisive.

Damage leading to a stopover, a bad choice of route and lack of speed, are just some of the reasons that can take you to the back of the peloton. For some, the race was decided from the start in Lanzarote when they realised that they had to have a stopover. This was the case for Yann Claverie (MAP Product) who turned back to Gran Canaria, Fred de Mesel (Double Trouble) who returned to Lanzarote to repair one of his rudders, and Nacho Postigo (Vamos Vamos), forced to land in Fuerteventura.

All of them started off again, but the wind that had accompanied the leaders of the fleet was not there for them. Doomed from the start to sail a totally different race, they have had to be patient in adversity, to take their troubles with good humour, and find other consolations. One imagines that for Nacho Postigo, it’s all about taking revenge on the bad luck that has hung over him since the start of the race. As a seasoned racer on prestigious boats such as TP 52, he was aiming for a very different personal adventure on the Mini Transat îles de Guadeloupe.

Two other competitors had to stop in the Cape Verde Islands: François Jambou (Design and Build) and Dominik Lenk (dominiklenk.com). Starting again in last place, while competitors in front of them had already decided to put an end to their adventure, Francis and Dominik have demonstrated exemplary toughness that will surely be given the welcome it deserves in Pointe-à-Pitre.

Northern route

For others, the choice of route was particularly punishing. For this 2015 edition, there was no strategic alternative. Outside the southern route, there was no salvation. Despite this, there were a few wanting to tempt fate, such as the Russian Yuri Firsov (Magnum Sports), the Italian Federico Cuciuc (Zero and T), the chinese Jingkun Xu (China Dream) and also, Michelet Sylvain (A chacun son Everest). They had to settle for variable winds, sometimes at speeds below six knots, while the rest of the fleet was speeding at nearly 10 knots in the south. For them, the rankings put together by the race directors and broadcasted by the BLU every lunchtime must have been an awful chore. One such competitor, interviewed after the first stage, had found the solution: turn off the radio after the weather information and don’t wait for the details of the respective positions.

Along the way

Lastly, there’s the cohort of those who came for adventure, without any more ambition than to cross the Atlantic at their own pace and to have fun, no matter what. Their philosophy is 'Slowly and surely wins the race' rather than 'Show no fear.' This is another way of sailing an equally respectable race, chosen by January Heinze (Lonestar), Aitor Ocerin (Iparbeltz), Andy Abel (Pepen) and Lizzy Foreman (Hudson Wight). In the end, some will be disappointed; those who have not managed to find their rhythm, or those who have been handicapped by technical glitches. Those who came with other ambitions, such as Quentin Vlamynck (Arkema), Hervé Aubry (Ixina - HSD Sails) or Mathieu Bourdais (Tous au Large). For them, the crossing risks seeming particularly long. But, whether they devour the sea at high speed or take it step by step, they all will deserve to say: 'I sailed the Mini.'

Ranking on 11th November at 15 :00 (TU+1):

Séries (Ranking Ocean Bio-Actif)
1 Ian Lipinski – 866 – Entreprises Innovantes : 553.4 miles from the finish
2 Julien Pulvé – 880 – Novintiss : 1.0 miles
3 Tanguy Le Turquais – 835 – Terréal : 87.8 miles
4 Edouard Golbery – 514 – Les Enfants du Canal : 112.8 miles
5 Armand de Jacquelot – 755 – We Van : 133.1 miles

Prototypes (Ranking Eurovia Cegelec) :

1 Frédéric Denis – 800 – Nautipark : 334.9 miles from the finish
2 Michele Zambelli – 788 – Illumia : 71.7 miles
3 Luke Berry – 753 – Association Rêves : 72.4 miles
4 Clément Bouyssou – 802 – Le Bon Agent – Bougeons l’Immobilier : 108.6 miles
5 Axel Tréhin – 716 – Aleph Racing : 126.9 miles
Non localisé : Ludovic Méchin – 667 – Microvitae




Zhik 2024 DecemberNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastRooster 2025

Related Articles

Galicia 52 Super Series Royal Cup Preview
Getting ready to race at Monte Real Club de Yates in Baiona Today (Friday) Galicia's prestigious Monte Real Club de Yates in Baiona (Galicia, Spain) hosted the official presentation of the GALICIA 52 SUPER SERIES ROYAL CUP, the second scoring event for the 2025 season of the 52 SUPER SERIES.
Posted today at 4:42 pm
Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta day 3
No racing due to light wind in Porto Cervo The forecast of very light winds proved to be accurate today as the starting procedure for the third day of the Giorgio Armani Superyacht Regatta and the Southern Wind RendezVous got under way.
Posted today at 4:32 pm
1D35 "Relentless" to Race 2025 LBRW with new owner
First-time owner Derek Williamson eager to join the fleet for premier event As Derek Williamson prepares to race in his first regatta - Long Beach Race Week (LBRW) - where he'll be helming his own boat, Williamson acknowledges that he's new to the game and has a lot to learn.
Posted today at 4:26 pm
Armstrong Foils: On tour - Home of Armstrong II
Join America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke and Armstrong team riders on the tour of NZ's Far North Join three times America's Cup champion, Blair Tuke and Armstrong team riders Olivia Jenkins, Naumi Eychenne, Bowien van der Linden, Cash Berzolla, and Reo Stevens, on the Home of Armstrong Tour II, as they explore NZ's Far North.
Posted today at 11:24 am
Tom Gruitt passes away
Sailing photographer, writer, video editor, but most of all, a friend to many Tom Gruitt, photographer, writer, video editor, but most of all, a friend to many, has passed away at the far too young age of 37.
Posted today at 11:04 am
Rooster - Supporting Women in Sailing
Here to amplify women's voices, create better gear, and help shape a more inclusive future At Rooster, we're proud to be part of a movement that's putting women at the forefront of sailing - not just on race day, but every day.
Posted today at 8:00 am
5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde day 1
Race wins go Beta Crucis and New Moon III New Moon III (BAH 25, Christoph Burger, Kim Chabani, Peter Vlasov) is the early leader after two races in great conditions at the 2025 5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde.
Posted today at 7:59 am
Casa Vela Cup 2025 at St Francis Yacht Club Day 2
Another flawless day for top-ranked French skipper Pauline Courtois and her team Another thrilling day of racing with top-ranked French skipper Pauline Courtois and her Match in Pink Normandy Elite Team continuing their unbeaten streak with fifteen straight wins in the qualifying round robin stage, asserting a dominant lead.
Posted today at 5:18 am
XR41 shines at Fyn Rundt with 1st and 2nd in class
Formula X and Xbox dominate prestigious Danish regatta under new conditions In a weekend of challenging conditions and fierce competition,the high-performance racer secured 1st and 2nd in its class, and 4th and 5th overall out of 220 boats at the prestigious Fyn Cup, a 145-nautical-mile regatta around Denmark's island of Funen.
Posted today at 4:20 am
Team Racing Worlds at Newport, RI, Day 1
Tricky conditions & challenging 2v2 format tests Team Racing fleet Gray skies, intermittent rain and shifty light winds were not enough to dampen the energy and enthusiasm on Narragansett Bay for Day 1 of the Team Racing World Championship under way at Harbour Court.
Posted today at 3:02 am