French skipper Guillaume Wehrlen had a difficult day on the Mini Atlantique. After suffering rudder damage, he was heading to La Coruña for a technical stopover before resuming the race when he encountered several orcas. Rescue crews intervened to assist him as he entered the port.

A rudder failure prior to a technical stopover

The first problem arose during the night of Thursday, July 23, to Friday, July 24, 2026. Aboard his Pogo 1, the 920, Guillaume Wehrlen suffered damage to his rudders. The skipper then decided to set course for La Coruña to make a technical stop and repair his boat before resuming the Mini Atlantique.

While he was about ten miles from his destination port, the sailor encountered several orcas.

According to his account, the cetaceans did not exhibit the behavior typically observed in this area. For several years, the interactions recorded have mainly involved the rudders of sailboats. This time, the animals struck the hull directly.

The skipper immediately issued an alert. Two patrol boats responded quickly. The first drove the orcas away, while the second towed the Mini back to port to ensure the sailor?s safe arrival.

An area well known to sailors

Since 2020, encounters between Iberian orcas and sailboats have been on the rise off the coasts of Portugal, Galicia, and the Strait of Gibraltar. Spanish and Portuguese maritime authorities regularly issue recommendations for recreational boaters and offshore racers.

Sailors are asked to report any encounters, follow the instructions of maritime authorities, and head for a port whenever possible.

In Guillaume Wehrlen?s case, damage to his rudders had already forced him to temporarily halt his progress. The encounter with the orcas further complicated a technical stopover that was intended to allow him to repair his Mini before resuming the race.