The 2014 Mini Transat transatlantic race has already been memorable for its huge delay, and for one Northwesterner, a calamity. My friend Craig Horsfield was holed shortly after the start and had to withdraw from the race. Apparently Craig was avoiding a starboard tacker when a particularly bad gust hit and he couldn’t complete the maneuver. As this video shows and as I can attest, in those conditions with 84 boats being singlehanded out there, it’s no big surprise. Too bad it had to happen to Craig, who (like most out there) sacrificed a lot to get there. The other boat in the incident, skippered by Annabelle Boudinot, was able to continue after repairs.
In the meantime, the racers who had to wait for weeks to start, have now been told to make for the port of Sada in Spain, where the fleet will remain until a better weather window opens up to get around Cape Finisterre.
Lots more here.
