Mini-Transat: Inspired by Burke and Fink - Tom Wehde wins talent competition

In a talent competition organised by Next Generation Sailing and partner Osterrath, 25-year-old Tom Wehde from Kiel came out on top against almost 50 candidates. The boat builder and rigger, who has already crossed the Atlantic, discovered his passion for single-handed sailing in the Baltic 500.

Mini-Transat project: the winning qualities

In the new team, he can expect a prepared Vector 6.5, a committed sponsor and a lot of support from the young team bosses Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink, who took part in the Mini-Transat in 2021. "Our winner made quick decisions and acted efficiently," summarised Melwin Fink after the final of the competition.

Tom is a doer, very independent, makes a great impression" Lennart Burke.

Mini-Transat third-placed Melwin Fink continued: "We saw six good people in the candidate final. Tom was the only one to complete all the tasks, he was as intuitive and fast as you would expect on a racing boat. He can do something, has his own network and fits in well with the team." The jury also included master boat builder Markus Mehlen, the first German Mini-Transat participant Wolfgang Quix and Jan Osterrath.

The final took place on 7 November in Bad Laasphe, Westphalia. The six finalists from the original 50 or so applicants were put through their paces in the technical tests and in discussions with the experts. The host team explained the reasons for the extensive test programme to the candidates: "The solo skipper must be mentally as well as sailing and technically fit. He must also be able to correctly assess the wind and weather. And he must know his boat inside out."

A convincing mini-transat candidate

In the end, the choice fell on the candidate who was able to convince both technically, personally and with his sailing experience: Tom Wehde, boat builder from Kiel. He himself says: "My strengths are clearly technical." From the jury's point of view, Tom Wehde is also the candidate "who is able to make quick and efficient decisions".

The Mini, sponsored by Osterrath, will remain in Kiel until December. It will then be taken to the Next Generation Boating shipyard in Hamburg. Training has already begun. Tom Wehde familiarises himself with the new boat. He is conquering a lot of new territory, as he has never sailed a Mini before.

"But in the end, it's just a boat...", the prospective Mini Transat participant noted. In spring 2025, he will be travelling to France with the Vector, where he wants to immerse himself in the Mini scene. Tom does not yet speak French. However, he shares this initial handicap with most of his German predecessors and also with Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink, who also had to familiarise themselves with the language first.

Mini-Transat 2027: "Learning by doing"

On his course, Tom Wehde follows the motto "learning by doing" and hopes to quickly find his feet on site. Tom Wehde does not foresee any problems with the loneliness on board a mini. He wants to gain valuable experience, expand his network and use the opportunity to make a name for himself in the offshore scene.

Tom Wehde will make his first official appearance at boot Düsseldorf in January, where he will give a presentation on the Mini-Transat 2027 project. His new team, Next Generation Sailing, is looking forward to the newly launched project and its developments. A team statement said: "We can look forward to an exciting campaign in which the training sessions in Lorient under Tanguy Leglatin will be followed by the first regattas."

The wish of team bosses Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink, who have long since switched to the Class 40 themselves and are promoting their company Next Generation Boating and the Next Generation Sailing team in Hamburg: "Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed for Next Generation Sailing and the mini newcomer Tom Wehde."

Click here to go to the Next Generation Sailing and Next Generation Boating homepage.

A little reminder of the Mini-Transat 2021 - back then, five German-speaking participants started the race of their dreams, which is now inspiring Tom Wehde on his course: