This Sunday, October 1, 2017 at 4 p.m., 81 Mini 6.50 crossed the starting line of the Mini Transat-la Boulangère which will take them to Gran Canaria (an island in the Canaries) then to Le Marin in Martinique (start of the 2nd leg at the beginning of November), i.e. a total of 4050 miles single-handed.
When we talk to them about their project on the pontoons before they leave, they have stars in their eyes. It was therefore with the emotion of seeing these men and women realise their dreams that we accompanied them to the start line despite the very Breton rain this Sunday in La Rochelle.
81 skippers, that's how many different adventures.
On the eve of the start, when it was time for the final preparations, we met with a few skippers to tell the story that brought them here (see related stories below). If for some this event is the concretisation of a life project carried out over two years of self-sacrifice, for others it is a first step towards a career they hope will be long in the world of ocean racing. Among them are Ian Lipinski The first gate (course mark located to the south of the Ile de Ré) will be the favourite of this edition and will lead the fleet.
A wet start
It was under a persistent drizzle that the fleet set off in a westerly to south-westerly wind of 10 to 15 knots. Conditions were almost ideal except for the visibility which fell completely under a squall. At this little game, the pack that started off to the right of the race course pocketed the prize. As a prototype, Erwan Le Méné (Rousseau Clôtures) took the best over Ian Lipinski (Griffon.fr) and Arthur Léopold-Léger (Luna).
In the series, the battle was fierce between the Pogo 3 where all the favourites were side by side. Slightly off to the right of the race course, it was finally Clarisse Crémer (TBS) who took the lead at the gate that marked the end of the coastal course. She was followed by Germain Kerlévéo (Astrolabe Expéditions) and Frédéric Moreau (Petit Auguste et Cie) who placed his Pogo 2 in front of the Pogo 3 pack. Before finishing with the coastal course, Erwan Le Méné, who had pushed too much on his close edge, had to come back to the mark and was grilled by Ian Lipinski for his politeness.
Cape Finisterre will be the next course marker.
The mini deckchair in a few figures:
- 21st edition
- 4,050 miles to go between La Rochelle - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Le Marin (Martinique)
- 81 skippers at the start
- 10 women
- 11 nationalities
- 20 years old: the age of the youngest of the race: Erwan Le Draoulec
- 62 years old: the age of the race's dean: Fred Guérin
- 25 prototypes
- 56 series
- 66 pledges
- 15 repeat offenders
