It was to be expected that Benoît Marie would set new records and firsts in the 25th Mini-Transat. Now the Frenchman has conjured up a 24-hour record on the Atlantic, which until recently seemed unattainable with 6.50 metre long Minis: 346.44 nautical miles in 24 hours at an average speed of 14.43 knots mark the start of a new era in the big Transat sport with the small boats.
Mini-Transat: On course for victory with a 24-hour record
Benoît Marie's 2022 Manuard proto "Nicomatic - Petit Bateau" beat his own former record with this performance. It was set by Caroline Boule in July 2024 with 322.7 nautical miles. The most modern and innovative mini-foiler was already called "Nicomatic". Benoît Marie has now gone one better. It cannot be ruled out that he will be able to push the record even higher on the course from Les Sables-d'Olonne to Saint-François on Guadeloupe.
The new record holder had won all seven Mini races he had contested with his rocket before the start of the 25th Mini-Transat. The 38-year-old, who won the Mini-Transat for the first time as an amateur in 2013 and surprisingly at the time, took the plunge across the Atlantic this time with a gleaming white waistcoat. As a qualified engineer, Marie himself had worked alongside Sam Manuard on the design, which in ideal conditions could even approach the magic mark of 400 nautical miles in 24 hours.
Benoît Marie gave a first taste of this potential from 28 to 29 October between 8 am and 8 am, after the fleet had finally been able to say goodbye to the extremely stubborn initial lull in the stage the day before. Sequels could follow.
Hendrik Lenz keeps up the pace in the top group
Benoît Marie led the field of 32 prototype boats in the Mini-Transat on Wednesday ahead of the currently also fast Swiss Mathis Bourgnon on "Assomast" and podium co-favourite Alexandre Demange on "DMG Mori Sailing Academy 2". Marie held a lead of almost 50 nautical miles over Bourgnon. Click here for tracking.
Switzerland's Felix Oberle on "Big Bounce - Beltrona", who was separated from Benoît Marie by just under 150 nautical miles four days after the start of the second leg of the Mini-Transat, dropped back slightly to eleventh place. The first leg had been cancelled for both Protos and series boats due to stormy conditions. This means that the victories and placings in both divisions will "only" be decided by the set across the Atlantic.
Among the 57 active series boats, Düsseldorf's Hendrik Lenz also continues to compete successfully in the battle for the podium. While Raison-Maxis like those of Paul Cousin ("AFP Biocombustibles") and Quentin Mocudet ("Saveurs et delices") - both from 2019 - are setting the pace at the front, the German Vector soloist Hendrik Lenz is also still part of the first chasing group, was in sixth place on Wednesday afternoon and was only ten nautical miles behind third place. With almost 2200 nautical miles to go to the mini-transat finish harbour, there was plenty of room for further improvement.
