Mini-Transat: ‘Mini-Teenagers’ on the rise – second place in the Mare Nostrum

Most of the well-known German offshore sailors come from the north. But there are some in the south too. The Bavarian Yacht Club has a young sailor amongst its ranks who is deeply inspired by the sea and offshore sailing. Konstantin Kurzeja has his sights set on the Mini Transat 2029. Further down the line, he’s also looking at a Class40 project and the Vendée Globe. His role model is Boris Herrmann.

The Allure of the Mini: On the podium in the first 500-nautical-mile race

Step by step, but with great determination, Konstantin Kurzeja is making his mark in the French Mini sailing world. He completed his first 500-nautical-mile double-handed race in early September as part of a small fleet, achieving a fine result alongside the German-French sailor Victor David. In the Mare Nostrum, the ‘Mini teenager’ and the Mini Transat solo sailor, whose mast had snapped so violently during his race across the Atlantic, now joint second.

This year, the Mare Nostrum challenged eleven two-man crews in production boats and one prototype duo on its classic 500-nautical-mile circuit. The course ran from the Club Nàutic Garraf near Barcelona to the Balearic Islands, on to the Columbretes Islands in the Gulf of Valencia and back to the start and finish harbour. For Konstantin Kurzeja The Mediterranean race, characterised by tactical and technical elements, with sections that were both slow-paced and fast-paced, was the first major Mini race of his still very young career.

The secondary school pupil with good grades and the motto “I want to. And I can.” had first made his mark at the boot Düsseldorf trade fair in January, where he met industry representatives and presented to the public. It was there, during a joint appearance by the German mini-sailors, that he had met Victor David, with whom he was now competing in the double-handed race.

Mare Nostrum: a last-minute dash for the podium

“We got on really well; everything went very smoothly. Victor knows a lot about the weather. That was really impressive, especially on the last night of the race, when everyone else stayed close to shore and we sailed out to sea. We managed to move up from fifth to second place,” says Konstantin Kurzeja happily.

The Year 9 pupil from Bavaria learnt a great deal during his Mare Nostrum debut on his team’s 2024-built Bertrand-Vector 650 “Muriel”, sailing alongside Victor David. “We made a lot of sail changes, especially in light winds. I wasn’t quite able to manage that on my own yet,” the experienced skiff sailor candidly admits. He wouldn’t want to give up the 29er just yet, but he knows where his heart lies.

"Mini-sailing is even more fun because it lasts longer. You don’t come ashore after the races; instead, you’re out at sea for two, four or even eight days.” Konstantin Kurzeja

This year’s Mare Nostrum was won by Alejandro Martinez and Didac Costa, a two-time Catalan Vendée Globe finisher, in 4 days, 14 hours, 56 minutes and 37 seconds. Konstantin Kurzeja and Victor David finished in second place, crossing the finish line just under four hours behind the hot favourites.

​A mini finish-line thriller after 500 nautical miles

Victor David, aged 28, found his young co-skipper to be open-minded and eager to learn. “I didn’t know exactly what to expect beforehand. What would happen if a storm came? At 14, I’d probably have been terrified. But then I was pleasantly surprised. Konsti approached the race with humility and respect. He was keen to learn and picked things up incredibly quickly.”

The Mini Transat winner and the 14-year-old also talked at length about Konstantin Kurzeja’s future plans. Victor David says: “It’s quite incredible and fascinating at the same time.” He himself competed in his first Mini race in a production Scow Bug boat alongside Kurzeja and gushes: “It was a brilliant experience.”

Victor David and Konstantin Kurzeja’s silver medal was hard-fought and required nerves of steel, as the third-placed pair, Massimo Vatteroni and Enrico Giacomi, crossed the line less than a minute after them. The French pair Benoït Tuduri and Valentin Desbois, who finished fourth, also crossed the line just five minutes after the third-placed team.

Never again a mini race without salt and pepper

“It was a great community with lots of experienced sailors,” says Kurzeja, describing his experience of the Mare Nostrum. He won’t be repeating that minor beginner’s mistake of forgetting the salt and pepper, especially given how bland the freeze-dried meals were. For the newcomer, the highlights of the race included his crew’s sound tactical decisions, “the thrill of 15 or 16 knots under spinnaker” and the dolphins that accompanied his crew over the final 50 nautical miles.

The young Bavarian dynamo has planned a few more training sessions at the Base Mini in Barcelona this year. Next year, he intends to increase the number of races he enters. Just how much depends in part on how much support he can secure for his journey with Ocean Racing Team Germany, which he co-founded. He already has sponsors such as Frisch, Harken, Musto, Melwin Fink’s and Lennart Burke’s Team Next Generation Boating, NV Charts and Trans Ocean on board, but to take the next step he needs further supporters and sponsors, whom his team is actively seeking.

For his 15th birthday this Saturday, Konstantin Kurzeja’s wish list consists exclusively of sailing-related equipment and support. There isn’t a single wish that has nothing to do with sailing. That said, it’s clear that not all wishes can be fulfilled straight away. Konstantin Kurzeja will be out sailing on his birthday too. At the Deutscher Touring Yacht-Club, the Oktoberfest regatta for 29ers and 505s is on the agenda for him.