McIntyre Mini Madness solo around the world! – now the Indian – then the Southern

A sudden, loud bang stopped Numbatou dead at 6 knots, throwing Jasmine. After finding no obvious cause and a full inspection for catastrophic damage, she's sure the boat is just bruised. Now, she's back in the flow, flying with the wind once more! © Jasmine Harrison / MGR2025

The McIntyre Mini Globe Race is a marathon by any measure. Every section is like another solo transatlantic race and there are 11 back to back! The racing is intense for the front runners. It's not a cruise.

• Thursday Island to the Indian Ocean: Crocodiles, Currents and Close Quarters
• Renaud Stitelmann (#28 CAPUCINETTE / CH) - Dan Turner (#05 IMMORTAL GAME / AU) - Keri Harris (#47 ORIGAMI / UK) just hours apart, after 5000 miles from VUDA MARINA Fiji with the lead passing back and forward between the three over the past weeks.
• No Pirates, but serious fleets of fishing vessels and close encounters and a near miss with shipping.
• High average speeds for a mighty MINI, 135 mile days, top speeds 145 miles days, calms and confused seas topped off by 40 kt winds and heavy seas as the leaders closed COCOS Keeling.
• Sun taking its toll on the spinnakers with 48 hr penalties for replacements but five on order? Sail damage? a game changer?

150 days at sea. A monumental milestone for Dan aboard Immortal Game, with many more still to come. This journey is a testament to a simple truth: nothing is impossible with self-belief and an absolute passion (or obsession!) to succeed - photo © Dan Turner / MGR2025

The leaders after 5000 miles from Fiji are separated by just a day and after 14,000 miles just two. One design, ALMA Globe 580 racing is intense. Honour is at stake. They are averaging 135miles a day month after month in home built minis steered by windvanes. It's not normal, it's simply amazing and it's the old fashion way...without assistance!

So what is happening to the skippers? Well everything is: Ship near misses, collisions to a dead stop from UFO's - unidentified floating object, electrical problems, mast problems, engine problems and now sails are fading in the sun. The Southern Ocean looms large over the horizon. Intense low pressure systems and strong headwinds are on the menu! These are the little boats that can? Or can they?

Forget pirates – the fleet dodged swarms of fishing boats, near-misses with shipping, and collisions with UFOs (unidentified floating objects) - photo © Keri Harris / MGR2025

No one has ever tried this unbelievably crazy race before. The 11 skippers still sailing can't predict what comes next. No one can deny this is an honest human adventure and it's playing out in front of our own eyes. These sailors attempting something bigger than all of us. Keep watching and tell your friends!! They may not believe you.

With Gary Swindail's Question 2 now docked in Darwin, reflecting on a transformative adventure rather than a circumnavigation, 11 boats remain in the race proper. By early September, the fleet stretched like a necklace across the eastern Indian Ocean. At the sharp end, Renaud, Dan, Keri, and Pilar drove hard for Cocos-Keeling, carving out a commanding lead of 400 miles over the rest of the fleet. They battled 30-40kt winds and 4 metre seas for 145 mile days in the last few days approaching COCOS KEELING. Behind, Adam, Jakub, Josh, Jasmine, Christian, Eric and Ertan finally shook free of Australia's wind-shadow and surged west, often logging 120-mile days once more.

Journey's end. Gary Swindail and Question 2 arrive in Darwin, marking the official conclusion of his #MGR2025 - photo © Christine Elizabeth Turner / MGR2025

Thursday Island to the Indian Ocean: Crocodiles, currents and close quarters

After 5,000 miles from Fiji, the leaders of the McIntyre Mini Globe Race are still only hours apart. Renaud, Dan and Keri have been swapping the lead like cards in a poker game, averaging 135-mile days, surfing to 145, then stalling in calms, all before hammering into 40 knots and heavy seas at Cocos Keeling.

Renaud, Dan and Keri have been swapping the lead like cards in a poker game, averaging 135-mile days, surfing to 145, then stalling in calms, all before hammering into 40 knots and heavy seas at Cocos Keeling - photo © Keri Harris / MGR2025

Danger everywhere

Forget pirates — the fleet dodged swarms of fishing boats, near-misses with shipping, and collisions with UFOs (unidentified floating objects). Gear failures are mounting: torn sails, busted spreaders, fading electronics. The sun is shredding spinnakers, with replacements earning 48-hour penalties. For some, sail damage may decide the race.

Argo sailing on the Arafura Sea. This shot was captured by Eric Marsh aboard Sunbear, who sailed in close company with Christian at one point in the Leg 3 - photo © Eric Marsh / MGR2025

Frontline four

Renaud on Capucinette has been the benchmark, reeling off 130-140 mile days and staying glued to the shortest line. Keri on Origami followed with philosophy and determination, shrugging off warnings about pirates: "It's about the pursuit of perfection." Dan on Immortal Game braved fleets of fishing boats and celebrated with fresh yellowfin tuna. Then came Pilar on Peter Punk, charging from behind and forcing her way into the lead pack with sheer grit.

"These four are the contenders," says race founder Don McIntyre. "Barring unimaginable misfortune, the winner will be one of them."

Mid-fleet battles

Adam on Little Wren and Jakub on Bibi duel daily, Adam raising £30,000 for charity while Jakub muses like Moitessier, machete in hand, books in the cockpit. Josh on Skookum keeps spirits high despite gear damage, joking his bent mast gear was "crocodile deterrent."

It seems this leg isn't lacking for fish! The whole fleet has been sharing their catches, and Jakub is no exception. But as they say: when you win some, you also lose some - photo © Jakub Ziemkiewicz / MGR2025

The stalwarts

At the back, Jasmine on Numbatou fought through shredded sails and a terrifying near-miss with a ship, but still logged 153-mile days. Christian on Argo battles fraying sails, Eric on Sunbear (age 72!) tweaks trim and plays harmonica, while Ertan on Trekka treats calms as holidays — swimming, Netflix, and sashimi.

Ertan treats the calms as a holiday: swimming, Netflix, and fresh sashimi. But Trekka has finally shaken free of Australia's wind shadow, surging west with a vengeance and consistently logging 120-mile days - photo © Ertan Beskardes / MGR2025

Cocos keeling chaos

Renaud arrived first at Cocos, Dan hours behind, then Keri. Heavy weather made anchoring a drama — Pilar's anchor fouled dangerously until rescued by police, Keri onboard to help. For the rest, it's a much-needed 10-day break before facing the brutal Southern Ocean.

The arrival was preceded by a tough approach, with Renaud reporting: “For sûre me sure with my Deuta stand UP in cockpit. Only 2/3 of jib. Main down. AParent wind at/Bearing 180. Waves over the deck.. They say That s fun ? UP to 40kn now - photo © Dan Turner / MGR2025

The road ahead

The Indian Ocean is just a warm-up. Next comes the Southern Ocean — low pressure systems, icy seas, and winds most of these sailors have never faced. The first 17,000 miles have been training; the next 4,000 to Cape Town will be survival.

And yet, the camaraderie is unshakable. Whether it's Adam celebrating with "something special in the porridge," Jasmine laughing at broken watches, or Jakub quoting Moitessier while chasing rivals, the human spirit drives this race.

A simple daily routine becomes an extreme challenge on the high seas. This is how you shower aboard the tiny ALMA CG580, as demonstrated by sailor Adam, onboard his Little Wren - photo © Adam Waugh / MGR2025

In 1958, John Guzzwell's Trekka took 28 days for Thursday Island to Cocos. Renaud just did it in 21 days. The boats may be smaller, but the adventure is bigger. Follow the daily reports on MGR Facebook and online...it is at times intense!

As McIntyre puts it:
"These ALMA Globe 580s are racing hard, proving they're capable and fast. Or maybe it's the skippers but it is epic and not normal."

Follow the adventure

The fleet's progress is being tracked LIVE on MGR's Facebook and YouTube channels, with an ETA in Cape Town by early December. After a brief Christmas break, the final leg to Antigua begins December 28.

This is sailing history in the making—a human-powered circumnavigation in the smallest boats ever to attempt such a feat. The Southern Ocean awaits.