PGN Ocean Racing launches campaign for 2027 Mini Transat

Gibbons-Neff returns to the starting line with a new Sam Manuard-designed, fully foiling Mini 6.50 prototype now under construction in La Trinité-sur-Mer, France © PGN Ocean Racing

Annapolis-based sailor and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve officer Peter Gibbons-Neff Jr. has launched his next major ocean racing campaign — a two-year international effort to win the 2027 Mini Transat, a 4,000-mile solo race across the Atlantic from France to the Caribbean.

Building on the success of his 2023 Mini Transat crossing aboard Terminal Leave, Gibbons-Neff returns to the starting line with a new Sam Manuard-designed, fully foiling Mini 6.50 prototype now under construction in La Trinité-sur-Mer, France by JPS Production. The campaign blends cutting-edge performance with a mission of purpose — expanding support for U.S. Patriot Sailing, a nonprofit that helps veterans find community and purpose through the sport of sailing.

Meeting with Nicolas Groleau (L) of JPS Production and Sam Manuard (R) in La Trinité-sur-Mer, FR - photo © PGN Ocean Racing

"The Mini Transat is one of the purest tests of endurance, skill, and self-reliance," said Gibbons-Neff. "This campaign continues the mission we started in 2020 — combining innovation and performance on the water with giving back to a community that's meant so much to me."

Through his first Mini Transat campaign, Peter helped raise awareness for U.S. Patriot Sailing, contributing to a 220% increase in veteran participation and expanding team locations in the U.S. Peter continues to race as an ambassador from raising awareness to expanding support.

Official campaign launch announcement

Standing on a Manuard designed IRC 50' carbon scow, this is where the Mini will be built - photo © PGN Ocean Racing

First held in 1977, the Mini Transat is a biennial solo race covering over 4,000 miles from France to the Caribbean. Skippers race 21-foot (6.50-meter) high-performance sailboats with no satellite communication or external assistance — testing seamanship and navigation at the highest level.

Founded by Peter Gibbons-Neff Jr., PGN Ocean Racing is an Annapolis-based sailing campaign dedicated to performance, purpose, and leadership at sea. Through solo ocean racing, the campaign raises awareness and funding for U.S. Patriot Sailing, a 501(c)(3) organization supporting veterans through sailing programs across the United States.