Mini Transat - Douarnenez to Pointe-a-Pitre - The scales are tipping

As and when boats arrive, the pontoons at Pointe-à-Pitre are abuzz with activity and tales of the sea told time and again. Meanwhile, the fleet of singlehanders still at sea slims down gradually. For now the movement is still slow, but the pace is expected to accelerate during the weekend.

The next to cross the finish line should be Simon Koster who completes a podium with a dominant Swiss presence. Justine Mettraux arrived this morning at 3:40 local time and will undoubtedly be there to greet the man who made her life difficult for such a good part of the race. Returning navigators sometimes bring us strange surprises, everyone had thought that Justine Mettraux had a genuine problem with her rudder, due to an unintended tripping of her emergency beacon followed by her signal confirming her presence on board. In reality, it was only the fall of a unsecured trash bag which led to the triggering. Having realized the error, Justine was anxious to warn the race management that all was well on board. Of her journey, the young sailor had the impression of a long race, a bit monotonous, with the final pleasing surprise of a second place, of which she had been unaware because of lack of reception on her SSB during the crossing . But she felt that time appeared determined to go slowly over the Atlantic.

Simon Koster, the other Swiss
After the Genevois it will be the turn of a German-speaking Swiss to dock at the wharf of honor and be welcomed by his peers. Simon Koster (Go 4 It) should cross the line at around 15.00 local time (19.00 GMT). The arrival of Nicolas Boidevezi is not expected until tomorrow at around 06.00 local time Saturday, followed by Louis Segre (Roll my Chicken) and Renaud Mary (www.runo.fr). From Sunday the bulk of the fleet should touch the ground, with no less than fourteen boats expected on the same day. For these competitors it's been a fight close with their opponents across the Atlantic and they must surely have intersected at times, either with eye contact or through VHF conversations, which have not benefited the leaders. It is necessary that a place on the podium has a certain price.

Crédit Jacques Vapillon / Mini Transat 2013

Crédit Jacques Vapillon / Mini Transat 2013

Cegelec / Eurovia Ranking (prototypes) at 16.00 (GMT +1)

• 7. Nicolas Boidevezi (719 – Nature Addicts) with 160.3 nm to finish
• 8. Louis Segré (679 – Roll my Chicken) + 90.4 nm
• 9. Michele Zambelli (342 – Fontanot) + 144.2 nm
• 10. Annabelle Boudinot (791 – Agro650) + 145.8 nm
• 11. Alan Roura (284 – Navman) + 192.7 nm

Yslab Ranking (series boats) at 16.00 (GMT +1)

• 2. Justine Mettraux (824 - TeamWork) finished at 8h 40mn 34s (GMT =1)
• 3. Simon Koster (819 – Go 4 it) + 39.2 nm
• 4. Renaud Mary (www.runo.fr) + 251.7 nm
• 5. Alberto Bona (Onelinesim.it) + 307.4 nm
• 6. Tanguy Le Turquais (Terréal Rêve d’Enfance) + 308.6 nm

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To follow the activities of the Mini Transat 2013 www.minitransat.fr
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NOTE TO READERS

Dates
Start from Douarnenez originally planned for October 13, 2013 at 13.00. Departure postponed due to severe weather conditions on the race course.
After 16 days of waiting to find a weather window for the fleet of 84 Mini 650s, Douarnenez was able to hold the start of the first leg of the Mini Transat 2013 on Tuesday, October 29 at 9:19. The worsening weather conditions forced the cancellation of this leg and the Mini Transat fleet found shelter in the ports on the north coast of Spain.76 competitors rallied as to the Galician port of Sada where the race to Pointe-a-Pitre was started the morning of Wednesday 13 November at 09.45. A gate is positioned off Lanzarote and competitors who wish to may stop in the Canaries.

Douarnenez Courses: organizer of the Mini Transat 2013 and 2015
All the organisations of Douarnenez are mobilised with the support of local and regional authorities under the aegis of Douarnenez Courses: the yacht clubs, Douarnenez and Société des Régates de Douarnenez, the Winches club organizers for many years of Mini races with the Mini Fastnet and Trophy Marie-Agnès Péron as torchbearers, but also the association of the Fêtes Maritimes, the Atlantic Yacht Club, the Fédération Maritime and others who are preparing for fifteen days prior to departure, a festival celebrating the sea and the sailors. Competitors will be welcomed into the Port-Rhu a real jewel in the heart of the city.

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