Mini Pavois - 60 skippers to take off from La Rochelle

by Véronique Largeau on 6 Mar 2010 Mini Pavois - 800 nautical miles solo on Minis 6.50.

M-2: 41 Sailors registered already.

- 800 miles to go solo on minis 6.50 from the fourth to the 14th of May 2010
- Three new prototypes 2009 and 2010 to start!
- 60 competitors expected with 41 registered on the third of March 2010.
- 18 protos and 23 series boats.
- A qualifying race for both the 2010 Azores-Les Sables and 2011 The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50.

800 nautical miles single-handed...

There should be 60 skippers to take off La Rochelle on Tuesday the fourth of May 2010 for the Mini Pavois; a qualifying race for the 2011 Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50 for which the entry list will open next December. Third race on the Atlantic coast of the Classe Mini season 2010, after the Demi-Clé 6.50 and the Select 6.50, the Mini Pavois will be the longest regatta of the season, with 800 nautical miles to go. This sixth edition of the Mini Pavois - organized by Grand Pavois Organisation - will head south for the fourth time, with a 300 miles crossing of the Bay of Biscay and a stopover in Gijón (Asturias, Spain) and a 500 miles journey back to the Rochelle via southern Brittany. A great novelty: the biennial appointment will not be held the same year than The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50! This will shed light on tomorrow's talents but also it will gauge the next favourites of the Classe Mini, a class that knows no crisis with still more members and especially new boats.

41 skippers already registered for the Mini Pavois...

On the fourth of March 2010, 41 sailors have registered for the 2010 Mini Pavois. Up to date, there are 18 prototypes and 23 series boats: 26 French sailors, 1 dual nationality sailor and 14 foreigners. Once again, the internationalization of the Classe Mini speaks for itself with the Spanish Jorge Maden Ruiz, a Turkish with Tolga Pamir, a Czech with Milan Kolacek, two Americans Andy Abel and Ryan Finn, two Dutchmen with Robert Rosen Jacobson and Lucas Schroder, a Scotsman with Ewan Stirling, a Belgian with Jonas Gerckens, a Canadian with Bruce Gailey, a German with Jorg Riechers, a Swiss with Etienne David, a Franco-Swiss with Thibault Reinhart and finally, a New Zealander with Conrad Colman.

Fair fights to come…

They are currently 'only' 41 to be registered; it will fight hard in both categories. Prototypes: Monitor Nicolas Boidevezi (719 - Défi G.D.E.) on its design Bertrand 2008 who finished seventh in the last The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50; Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de) on its a design Bertrand 2009 that is the 2009 Transgascogne's winner, as well as Sébastien Rogues (716 – Eole Génération – GDF Suez) that has traded his series boat for Henry Paul Schipman's boat - design Lombard - that was third in Salvador de Bahia in 2009. Also note the arrival in the prototypes category of a Swiss that is already known in the sailing world: Etienne David (679 - Teamwork). With several participations in the Tour de France à la Voile and an impressive record of achievements, Etienne will sail off on Stéphane Le Diraison's former Manuard 2007 that finished fourth in the last The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50. Please also keep an eye on...Three new prototypes: Thomas Normand (787 – Financière de l’Echiquier) with a design Manuard 2009, Milan Kolacek (759 - Follow me) on another design Manuard 2009 and Thibault Reinhard (791) on a proto Marin 2010. Also rely on the only woman (for now), Véronique Loisel (429 – De l’espace pour la mer) that will sail on her proto Lombard 2003, which is none other than the boat that belonged to Alex Pella and that finished second in the 2005 edition of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50.

Finally, note the arrival on the circuit of a free ride World Champion (extreme skiing) Aurélien Ducroz (417 – Nissan) on a proto Lombard. After plenty of challenges on snow, Aurelien wants a challenge at sea! On the side of series boats, 14 Pogo 2 will line up for the start among the 23 sailors. Once again, Finot will be the most represented. There will be as well two Manuard's Tip-Top with Jorge Maden Ruiz (636 – Casio G-Shock) and Loïc Le Bras (579 – Cachaca) and we can celebrate the arrival of three new D2 - design Rolland - in the hands of Tolga Pamir (737 - Yakamoz), Pierre Cizeau (746 - E=MD2) and Brendan Archin (757 - Bibounde). Will the supremacy Pogo 2 be shattered? To be continued... Four competitors do their come back after their adventure in the 2009 Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50, namely Robert Rosen Jacobson (602-Ned602), Jonas Gerckens (473 - Zerline), Emmanuel Renaud (446 - Koati) and Conrad Colman (480 - Betelgeuse).

2009 Mini Pavois podium:

Prototypes:
1. Thomas Ruyant (Faber France)
2. Bertrand Delesne (Raging Bull and Entreprendre Durablement)
3. Rémi Auburn (AT Children's Project)

Series:
1. Davy Beaudart (Port à sec Guy Beaudart)
2. Fabien Sellier (Surfrider Foundation)
3. Pierre-Yves Lautrou (Altaïde Moovement)

2010 Mini Pavois:
Race: La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime) / Gijón (Asturias) / La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime).
Start: Tuesday the fourth of May 2010
Nautical miles: 800 nm - two legs (300 + 500 miles) or 1,481 km.
Boats: 60 boats, two categories, series and prototypes.
Two rankings Series and prototypes.
Organization: GPO - Grand Pavois Organisation

Blog: http://minipavois2010-uk.blogspot.com