All minitransats in Madeira
by Lorraine MacIntosh on 30 Sep 2007
Brennan on Wombat before-start B Cervantes tempest@teleline.es
After a busy start in a brisk breeze, combined with a low flying helicopter and a collision with a media boat, the transat6.50 fleet has rapidly reached Funchal, Madeira.
French/German woman Isabelle Joschke (Degremont – Synergie 667) led most of the way and came in nearly 4.5 hours ahead of the next boat in a time of 5 days and 15.5 hours.
The departure from La Rochelle was an emotional time both in port and at the start line. Most sailors were busy getting their boats organised and towed out from 7.30am on because of tide times. Supporters were cheering and clapping each boat out at the narrow exit to the race harbour.
The 2 Australian entrants raced in when most boats had gone with those rafted inside Tom Braidwood getting a little anxious. Tom’s wife reports leaving late was a tactic and maybe it is paying off as he came in a creditable 26th.
His compatriot, Nick Brennan on Wombat was 22nd. Both are sailing the race for the first time. No Kiwis but Chris Sayer seems a New Zealand icon of the race.
With the delay in departure few spectator boats and media boats were available and a place was only available for me at the last moment when a photographer didn’t show up. Camera crew and photographers had priority. My asking for ‘bigger than a rib’ for my photographer husband resulted in a relatively luxurious and fast 18 to 20 foot motor boat.
After plenty of racing here and there for photos of particular boats we had a good view of the start. With 89 boats rushing at a short start line there was plenty of jostling, shouting, and glancing off one another as they got going. Then the race was on to the upwind mark. A low flying helicopter provided a hazard for yachts with some seen bobbing around like corks as the helicopter, blissfully unaware of its affect, allowed camera crew close aerial shots. Our skipper was also very obliging on being in the ‘best’ photo position to the detriment of one skipper.
Slovenian skipper, Andraz Mihelin on Adria Mobil Too, came around the buoy, set his course wider than any others probably due to rounding in a group, and then he moved forward to sort his sails without checking in front. Unfortunately for him our boat was directly in his selected path and our skipper looking forward and not behind, I presume trying to negotiate spectator boats in front of him. The warning call came from my husband but in Spanish to a Slovenian and a French skipper.
Critical moments lost in the mental translation, our boat stationary and Mihelin needing to get back to the helm, the collision was unavoidable. A heart wrenching moment for all with cracking carbon fibre heard as the bow and starboard dagger board hit us. A Polish photographer had his hands in where maybe one shouldn’t have them if you want to keep them, but he did help get the transat to push around and clear us.
What a wretched feeling when we know how much work it is to get there and how quickly it can disappear with a moment’s inattention on whoever’s part. As a result Adria Mobil Too’s progress became of interest along with Australians and Spanish for us.
With the delay to check the damage Mihelin still came in 7th. What relief but as he says it cost him keeping in sight of the leaders.
The two Valencia sponsored sailors, Pella on Generalitat Valenciana, has a disappointing 12th position after a problem with his automatic pilot and fatigue contributing to an off-course approach to Fuchal. Orti came in 46th and is pleased with his effort.
The Portuguese port of Funchal is turning it all on and the fleet is busy resting, repairing, adjusting and mentally preparing for the long-haul to Bahia, scheduled for 15 days after the first arrival. With each boat fitted with a locator, virtual tracking of boats on the website is possible during the race.
Almost as a footnote for me in La Rochelle I was delighted to find one of the all time classics of ocean racing Bernard Moitessier’s Joshua of 1968 Golden Globe race fame in port and looking well loved and cared for.
But back to the present for the transat6.50’s and now for the real challenge.
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