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A breathtaking scenario right to the end
With less than 200 miles to go, the Swiss skipper was still some 20 miles behind the leader, but he began to make up ground on Benoît Marie, the race favorite. At an average speed of 14 knots, Lili melted on Nicomatic-Petit Bateau on the afternoon of November 7th, and finally overtook him during the night. At 4h24'45" local time on Friday, November 8, Mathis Bourgnon crossed the line in the lead at Saint-François (Guadeloupe), 18 miles ahead, after 13 days, 18 hours and 24 minutes of intense sailing.
An unpredictable victory
And nothing could have foreshadowed such an outcome. Setting out from Santa Cruz de la Palma (Canaries) in downgraded mode, without a main pilot, without AIS and without a medium spinnaker, Bourgnon's main intention was to "have fun", in his own words. " He set off to run his race, with no goal in mind. Seeing him there was a big surprise "says his father, Yvan Bourgnon, moved and impressed by his son's achievement. " The script is incredible... this story is going to end in a matter of minutes. So much the better for the suspense. "
Benoît Marie, the great disillusionment
For Benoît Marie, winner of the 2013 Mini Transat, the finish has a bitter taste. Having won all the pre-season races, he was the logical favorite. He was also in the lead when the first leg was cancelled. Long the leader on this second leg, technically and strategically sound, he saw an opponent with perfect timing melt away on him.
Slowed down in the final gybes on the approach to Petite Terre, trapped by the final easing after the steady trade winds, he was unable to do anything about the irresistible momentum of his pursuer. A cruel disappointment for the man who seemed to have all the cards in his hand.
A story of family and transmission
With this victory, Mathis Bourgnon enters not only the history books of the Mini Transat, but also the lineage of great ocean sailors. Aboard the Proto 994 Assomast, the 2017 Etienne Bertrand design, he demonstrated the tactical lucidity, rhythm management and adaptability that forge champions. This performance was crowned by a historic wink: exactly thirty years after Yvan Bourgnon's victory, it was his son who once again added the family name to the event's honours list.
