La Boulangère Mini Transat: Will victory go to South America for the first time?
Max Gasser
· 09.11.2023
The decisive phase of the Mini-Transat has begun and the winner of the Proto class is expected to cross the finish line tomorrow afternoon. Even though Uruguayan Frederico Waksman's lead has increased again to over 80 nautical miles and there are hardly any obstacles or possible traps on the last 260 nautical miles of the direct course, the race is far from decided - at least not the one for overall victory. The Spaniard Carlos Manera is lurking behind him in second place and needs to keep the gap between him and Waksman as small as possible to keep his chances of overall victory alive.
Manera finished the first stage from Les Sables d'Olonne to Santa Cruz de La Palma 4 hours and 14 minutes ahead of Waksman. However, his South American rival currently has an estimated lead of around six hours and would therefore not only win the stage, but the entire 24th edition of the race. Weather expert Christian Dumard also believes this outcome is very likely, as the Uruguayan will also be sailing in better conditions over the next few hours. Waksman would replace Pierre Le Roy as the winner of the mini-transat (with the same boat), making him not only the first Uruguayan, but also the first South American to achieve this triumph.
Difficult situation for Uros Krasevac for the final of the second stage
In all likelihood, however, no other soloist will be able to get between the two leaders. Third-placed Marie Gendron is positioned further south and often has to complete the rest of the route with poorer angles. She is currently around three knots slower than the duo of Waksmann and Manera and her podium place on the second stage is in acute danger.
Carolin Boule, the second-best woman with her promising "Nicomatic" foiling design, is once again outside the top ten. At the other end of the development spectrum in the Proto class, Uros Krasevac also suffered setbacks after causing a furore with one of the oldest designs in the field. The bowsprit then broke and had to be repaired, but this has not yet been enough for him to regain his old speed. His tactical position for the remaining nautical miles is also not optimal, but very far to the south. He has already made some moves to the north and is still in eighth place, but will still have to leave a few Minis behind him who are sailing the better course further north towards the finish.
First retirement in series classification at the La Boulangère Mini Transat 2023
In order to avoid slipping through in the north, the leader in the series ranking is also moving north, with currently around 500 nautical miles to the finish. This is still the Italian Luca Rosetti. Just one place and 50 nautical miles behind him, the Swiss Felix Oberle continues to make a big impression. However, the field is incredibly close together. Only 120 nautical miles separate first and tenth place - that is significantly less than the distance between the first three places in the Protos.
Further back in the field, there was also the first retirement in the series standings. Frenchman Alexis Rochet had been in Mindelo, Cape Verde, since early Tuesday morning due to problems with the steering gear and the autopilot and officially informed the race organisers of his retirement today. Unlike the US American Peter Gibbons, who also had to make a stopover, he will not be able to continue. Instead, another skipper will take the Mini to Guadeloupe. The Race Village has now been opened there for the reception.
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Max Gasser
Editor Test & Technology
