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Damage in the early hours
It all began on the first leg when Mathis's brand-new medium spinnaker exploded after 4 hours of racing. A manufacturing error, acknowledged by the supplier. Although the leg was cancelled for everyone, the Mini class rules allow almost anything to be repaired or replaced... except the sails.
Mathis made a specific request to replace his spinnaker with an identical one, without any advantage, but the Mini class office refused. He had two options: take a medium spinnaker and accept a 24-hour penalty, or set off with a single âeuros spinnaker and stay within the limits. He chose the latter.
A sporting and symbolic choice
" Leaving buried from the start is a no. Giving the beautiful game a chance is yes" he writes. It's a courageous decision, as the 15-day crossing to Guadeloupe will take place mostly under spinnaker, in the trade winds.
Before the cancellation, Mathis was in 5th place, in the middle of a pack of often more recent foil-equipped prototypes. A micro-budget, a tried-and-tested boat, but a huge desire: the young Swiss-French skipper refuses to hide behind damage, preferring to rely on his stamina and the spirit of the race.
Bigger than the Mini
This sporting choice is part of a wider project. After arriving in Guadeloupe, Mathis will attempt a return crossing... in the middle of winter, single-handed and under sail. " There, I will no longer depend on human rules, but only on those of nature "he asserts. An adventure within an adventure.
A welcome attitude
While some could have taken advantage of the situation, several competitors praised Mathis' elegance and fighting spirit. Proof that, even in a race, ethics and respect for the game still hold an important place.
In a Mini Transat often marked by human stories as much as rankings, Mathis Bourgnon reminds us that it's in adversity that the most beautiful crossings are born.
