Mini Transat to (Finally!) Start

Some of world’s toughest sailors have been sitting on the dock (or at home if they live nearby) since October 13, waiting for the weather to allow the fleet of 84 21-footers to sail across the Atlantic (in two stages). The fleet will head for Canary Islands, have what will hopefully be a brief stopover, and then set sail again. Northwesterners can root for my sometime skipper Craig Horsfield, who will be sailing Mini 587. In the meantime, if you can follow this computer-translated press release you’ll be up to date. I’m sure it’s a lot more poetic, and meaningful, in French.–KH

If crossing the Bay of Biscay should be unhindered passage of Cape Finisterre could be tricky for the last competitors. However, it is far conditions for past two days.

They are shared. At the same time, they all want to escape from Douarnenez despite the quality of the welcome Cornish port and its inhabitants. But at the same time, the road does not prove a delightful paved path of roses. Main obstacle in the way of Lanzarote, near the Cape Finisterre, which may correspond to a strengthening of winds up to 30 knots. Conditions that will be far from comfortable, but that should not be an insurmountable obstacle for the fleet of Minis. However, Denis Hughes, the race director, wanted to remember when the weather briefing Monday night, each competitor has the right to stop for 48 hours in a port of his choice, as stated in the sailing instructions.

To cross the Bay of Biscay, the fleet is expected to start in a regime northwesterly mollira quickly before moving west to the dominant sector. Friday night to Saturday should be more difficult to negotiate for istic who are still in the vicinity of Cape Finisterre on a diet of southwest fort. But the winds turn quickly to the north-west and then should gradually ease off on the road in the Canaries. More difficult to manage, the news that fell today, namely the loss of 15 “boxes” by a container ship between Cape Finisterre and Ushant. The race is related to the Maritime Prefecture in order to clarify the position of the container and communicate it to the riders.