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The intoxication of the record
In ocean racing, the wind can change quickly. On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, Benoît Marie scored a major coup in the Mini Transat by setting a new record for distance covered in 24 hours on a Mini 6.50 in the âeuros¯Protoâeuros¯ category. Aboard his Nicomatic âeuros Petit Bateau foiler, he swallowed 352.59 nautical miles in one day at an average speed of 14.69 knots. Speeds worthy of a Class40, with a boat half the size.
But off Cape Verde, everything changed. On the night of October 30th to 31st, the skipper contacted the race directors to report a technical problem. While the details remain unknown, the sudden drop in his âeuro speed from 14 to less than 8 âeuro knots confirms a major difficulty. The organizers state that he is safely aboard, but that the impact on his performance is clear.
A performance on the edge
Benoît Marie remains in the lead for the time being. He is 78 miles ahead of Switzerland's Mathis Bourgnon and 92 miles ahead of Alexandre Demange from Vendée. But the pace is changing, and the chasers are coming back. There are still some 1,700 miles to go to Saint-François in Guadeloupe, the finish line of this second leg between La Palma and the West Indies. What happens next will depend on the nature of the breakdown and the skipper's ability to repair without assistance, as required by the regulations.
Conditions that put the fleet to the test
Benoît Marie's case is not isolated. Three other skippers are en route or making a technical stop in Mindelo, on the Cape Verdean island of São Vicente. Antoine de Malleray (Emmeraude Voile Solidaire) is making a stopover to resolve an electrical fault. Uros Krasevac (Ashika II) has been sailing without autopilot since Thursday, and Thimothée Villain-Amirat (Speedy Maltese) is about to return to port for a technical check. Foucauld Malard, victim of the loss of his two rudders, had to abandon his proto and board an accompanying sailboat.
