Mini Transat 2013 Day 2 - A pause in Spain

Race to temporarily halt at the tip of Spain - Port of Sada (near La Coruna) ready for the Minis

The Race Director of the Mini Transat has decided to implement plan B, which had been mentioned before the start at the last competitor briefing. The fleet will now stop at the port of Sada, near La Coruna, to wait for the strong winds from the south-west that will sweep Cape Finisterre, on 1 and 2 November to moderate and go northwest. The fleet is expected to arrive in the area on the night of October 31 to November 1.

This is the charm and complexity of the organisation of a race like the Mini Transat. Between those competing at a high level and those for whom this race is the adventure of a lifetime, there is a difference on how to run the boat. While the former are constantly looking for performance, others do not have any other objective than to run their business at their own pace. At the same time, crossing the Bay of Biscay reqires a weather window of about four days to clear the entire fleet.

The window seemed to have finally opened yesterday morning, but conditions are deteriorating in Finisterre again, hence the decision of the Race Director who does not want to take any risk with the tail end of the fleet. The Race Director has chosen to anticipate the decision to warn the front runners before the point where the strategic options open up for the fleet, this to ensure sporting fairness. A finish line will be set up in Sada. The ranking of the first leg will the accumulated times for Douarnenez - Sada and Sada - Lanzarote. Competitors were warned by VHF through the intermediary of the support boats and by BLU of the weather break. A confirmation of receipt was requested for each competitor.

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Giancarlo Pedote leading, The race divided in three (from giancarlopedote.it)

The rankings at 8:00 this morning reports Giancarlo leading the fleet, followed by Gahinet and Boidevezi, which is playing an option to the south.

It is from the detection last night that Giancarlo keeps the leadership and this night he has consolidated the distances from the followers.

But the calculation of missing mileage could be revised in view of the important news communicated to the public this morning.

The direction of the Mini Transat has decided to apply the plan announced the evening before the departure: the fleet must stop at the Spanish port of Sada, near La Coruna, waiting that the strong winds from the Southwest presents in Cape Finisterre will decrease. A winds changement is expected between 1 and 2 November, when the winds should decrease and begin to blow from the northwest.

The first leg is split into two tranches: Douarnenez - Sada Sada - Lanzarote, and the classification will be created in base at the sum of the times of the two legs.

The arrival in Sada of the boat remained in the race (5 dropouts currently reported) is scheduled for the night between October 31 and November 1, but it is necessary to mention that between the ast is already over 60 miles far from the first.

In view of the worsening weather conditions, the race director Denis Hugues decided to announce to skipper as soon as possible the news, in order to reduce the risk of strategic options calculated for the direct arrival in Lanzarote.

The skippers have been warned via a VHF message from the supports boats and through the BLU at the usual communication of weather conditions. A confirmation of receipt was requested from each competitor.