Mini-Transat 2021: Start of the Atlantic adventure: 90 Minis on course for the Canary Islands
Kristina Müller
· 27.09.2021
The starting signal has been given for the 23rd Mini-Transat from France to the Caribbean. 90 sailors crossed the starting line off Les Sables d'Olonne at 3.30 pm this afternoon to sail single-handed across the Atlantic in the Mini 6.50, with just one stopover in the Canary Islands. It is a great adventure for everyone at the start, for many the adventure of a lifetime.
The organisers broadcast the departure live on Facebook and YouTube. Over 2,000 spectators watched on their screens as the 90 boats crossed the line off Les Sables d'Olonne in the Atlantic swell. Yannick Bestaven also sent a live greeting in the pre-programme: "Reach the goal of your dreams," the 2020/21 Vendée Globe winner told the sailors. He himself won the mini-transat in 2001.
With Lina Rixgens, Lennart Burke, Melwin Fink, Marc Siewert and Christian Kargl are five participants from Germany and Austria.
La Palma as a stopover?
Despite the volcanic eruption, the organisers are still holding on to the stage port on La Palma. "However, we are in constant contact with the local authorities and the volcanologists on site," said organiser Marc Chopin on Sunday. "From their point of view, the stretch of coast with the marina where the boats are to be moored is not at risk."
However, the race organisers have worked out a plan B and set a virtual gate 80 miles north of the Canary Islands. If they do not receive any information from the race organisers en route, the skippers approaching this area should continue their course towards the finish line on La Palma.
"We have three channels to inform them of a change: Trackers, which the race organisers can use to send them a message, support boats, which can send them the message via VHF, and SSB, which is used for the daily weather report," says Chopin.
They are in contact with the authorities on other Canary Islands regarding a diversion, but a new harbour for almost 100 boats is not easy to find. However, in the event that it is not possible to call at Santa Cruz on La Palma after all, the virtual gate will be the finish line.
For the time being, however, challenging conditions await the pilots of the small ocean racers on the Bay of Biscay.
The weather forecast
After the start was postponed by a day due to a passing front, it was postponed again by an hour and a half on Monday. "The participants will set sail in north-westerly winds of 18 to 25 knots. The wind will gradually ease during the afternoon and stabilise at around 15 knots in the evening," explains Christian Dumard, the regatta's meteorologist. It will then quickly become challenging: "The passage through the Bay of Biscay will probably not be so easy," says Dumard.
A first front is expected to pass over the field in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday - 35 knots of wind and chaotic seas then await the mini-sailors. Afterwards, according to Dumard, the aim is to take advantage of a wind shift to the north-west to set a more southerly course along the Spanish coast between Cape Ortegal and Cape Finisterre.
The skippers will then sail through the area on their course towards the Canary Islands, which recently made headlines due to numerous orca attacks on yachts. Only one thing seems certain at the moment: The first leg of this 23rd mini-transat will already be a great adventure.
You can also read the background to the preparation of the four Germans and the Austrian skipper in YACHT 19/2021, which can be ordered here.
Exciting insight: Introducing the five German-speaking mini-skippers and their boats
