Mini class: Hendrik Lenz narrowly misses out on top ten, "mega experience" for Tom Wehde

A total of 89 mini-soloists had to master just under 300 nautical miles at their season opener in Pornichet Select in the Bay of Biscay. After the start last Saturday (3 May), Proto winner Benoït Marie mastered the course in just 1 day, 11 hours, 37 minutes and 54 seconds on his Manuard 22 "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau".

Mini-As Felix Oberle fourth at the Protos

There were technical reasons why the most recently successful Raison 22 "DMG Mori Sailing Academy 2" did not win this time and Alexandre Demange had to be satisfied with second place. "The boom flew off the front of his boat. He had to give up his first place," reported Düsseldorf series boat sailor Hendrik Lenz.

The best non-Frenchman in the field of 28 prototypes was Swiss driver Felix Oberle, who took fourth place with his Raison design "Big Bounce" after 1 day, 17 hours, 30 minutes and 54 seconds. Frenchman Paul Cousin won the series classification with his maxi design "AFP - Groupe Bio Combustibles". His run of 1 day, 17 hours, 34 minutes and 7 seconds was worth eighth place in the overall classification of all 89 Miniists including Protos.

The best German starter at the Pornichet Select for mini-soloists and aspiring mini-transat skippers was Hendrik Lenz. The 30-year-old from Düsseldorf, who grew up with his parents and brother Lars on an old grain ship in Düsseldorf harbour, missed out on his first top ten result in a renowned mini regatta by just seven and a half minutes. Click here for the results for Protos and series boats.

"Monoka" skipper Hendrik Lenz on a good course

"It was really cool to enter the harbour today and to count the boats that have already arrived and realise that there aren't that many yet. I'm happy and feel I'm on a good course," said Lenz in Pornichet. At times he was annoyed because he was overtaken by a whole series of boats in light and medium winds. However, he managed to catch up with many of them downwind, sometimes at 24 knots.

I like tactical sailing and also survival." Hendrik Lenz

Hendrik Lenz's Mini "Monoka" is getting two new sails before the start of the Mini en Mai regatta next week. "The mainsail is already a bit old and a new spinnaker is also coming," says Hendrik Lenz. He also wants to discuss with his coach how he can get more speed with his Vector design, even in less favourable conditions.

You can see who did well in this race, said Lenz. "I'm the first non-Maxi in the series ranking," said the skipper, who competes for the Düsseldorf Yacht Club and plans to start his first mini-transat in September. Tom Wehde, on the other hand, contested his first solo regatta of his still young career with the La Pornichet Select. The up-and-coming skipper from Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink's racing team Next Generation Sailing did well with the Vector "Osterrath".

That was a mega experience with a great result." Tom Wehde

The 25-year-old mini-sailor took 27th place in the series ranking, placing him well in the top half of the field. The trained boat builder also passed his baptism of fire as a problem solver at the first attempt: during the regatta, he had to climb into the rig and carry out a temporary repair because a shroud had broken.

Mini "Osterrath" in action after lightning repair

Tom Wehde and his team were challenged even before the start. After a crash at the Plastimo Lorient mini regatta in mid-April, the Mini "Osterrath" had to be brought back to the home shipyard of Next Generation Boating in Hamburg without further ado. There, expert hands at the yacht yard ensured in fast motion that the Wehde Mini was ready to go again in good time.

The Île d'Yeu, the Belle-Île and Les Sables-d'Olonne marked distinctive course markers of the French-influenced La Pornichet Select with participants from more than a dozen countries. The results of this first solo regatta of the year count towards the French Mini 6.50 Championship.

The race is also one of the mandatory regattas for the Mini-Transat 2027 qualification, for which Tom Wehde is preparing in the long term, while Hendrik Lenz, Thiemo Huuk (GER, "Europe", 33rd in the series boat ranking in La Pornichet Select) and Victor David (GER/FRA, "I am a Solitaire", 40th) are already preparing for the start in September this year.

UPDATE (6 May, 10.45 am). Following a jury decision at La Pornichet Select, Hendrik Lenz has subsequently moved up to tenth place in the series boat classification of the 300 nautical mile race, thus achieving his first top ten success in a renowned mini regatta. The change in result was due to the disqualification of Frenchman Gabriel Bouan, who had finished sixth. He had sailed his maxi design "PSE: Pour un sourir d'enfant" through a restricted area.

Replay! The replay of the start in La Pornichet Select shows the mini fleet in detail: