Today, on day 3 of the race, the 90 soloists revealed the full rigours, but also the full beauty of the Mini-Transat: the fastest Protos logged 10, 12 knots for the first time in the morning - not just briefly, but over several minutes, and in the case of Federico Waksman, who is probably sailing the best David Raison Mini, even over four hours.
When you take on this regatta, it's passages like this that you hope for: 15 to 18 knots of wind from the east-southeast, spinnaker, jib, main - and off you go! You can assume that Federico had a smile on his face regardless of his level of exhaustion, especially as he took the lead this morning and doesn't give the impression that he will give it up lightly.
In fact, its proto for the deep courses to be expected after the waypoint with a true wind angle of around 150 degrees can hardly be beaten, even by foilers. However, the sled ride will not last long.
Soon the leading boats will enter a transition that will be characterised by many turns and some uncertainty until they are hit by the full force of the edge of a storm depression closer to Cape Finisterre.
There are still around 180 nautical miles to go, but due to the upcoming cross, the resulting drift and the current at the cape, it's probably more like 230 to 250. It's a key passage on this first leg.
It was already clear during the night that the boats positioned furthest south, which were the first to catch the wind, would be able to pull away a little - a typical "the-rich-get-richer" scenario. That's why it's worth taking a frequent look at the tracker today.
It will also be exciting in other respects: Can Caroline Boule on her full-foiler "Nicomatic" equalise the gap to the top of the Protos in four or five hours of flying time today?
Yesterday evening it still looked that way, but then she sailed a windward bow, which this morning either forces her onto a sharpened downwind cross on foils, which means more distance, or she tries a direct route, which equalises her theoretical speed advantage. With a bit of luck, however, she will be able to get her Sam Manuard mini on the wing relatively far under land, in flat seas and around 8 to 10 knots of wind. Then she would be unbeatable. Starting number 1057 is currently sailing in 9th position.
Three women are placed ahead of Caroline Boule: Gaby Bucau (start number 865), Marie Gendron (1050) and Laure Galley (1048). There has probably never been such a density of performance among the mini-transat skippers.
There is currently only one woman in the top ten in the series boats: the Belgian Djemila Tassin (992) in P7. The first Austrian woman in the history of the Mini-Transat actually wanted to position herself there. But Lisa Berger has fallen far behind.
Yesterday in the early evening, she drifted downwind at 1.2 knots for a while, which suggests a possible technical problem or a repair. As the Minists are not allowed to have modern communication technology on board, we will probably only find out the exact reason after the finish.
This morning Lisa had slipped to P49, but was travelling quite fast again at 8.4 knots. And she can bite. Let's see if she can work her way forwards today. She is familiar with shifting winds from her home waters.
To the Mini Transat Tracker please click here!
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
