Going solo...the start of my Mini campaign!

Having confirmed the loan of a Pogo 2 back in September, I'm pleased to announce that my Mini Transat campaign has officially started.... I unloaded Foksaglisse (No. 633) off the cargo ship on Monday, moving him (as boats have too much personality to be an 'it') to the submarine base in Lorient where I plan to be training from for the next two years. 

I have been working towards this moment for a long time now; it was back in 2011 that I went through the Artemis Offshore Academy's selection process, which later led on to a 15 month internship with OC Sport in 2012. The internship was a brilliant experience, giving me a solid footing in the management of offshore sailing campaigns through working as Logistics Assistant for the Academy; while also allowing me to sail as a co-skipper in Classe Mini and Figaro events. 

To ensure that I could start my own sailing campaign after the internship, I took work as carer on the Island to save funds towards living costs; which meant very long days 3-5 times a week. I would get up at 05.30 to train on my road bike, be in the office from 08.30 to 16.00, then do my care rounds straight afterwards, getting home at 11pm each night. It was quite exhausting, but I learnt a lot about time management, personal drive, determination and the ability to juggle numerous projects- as well as developing my sailing, I had taken on a big challenge for the year; the 2013 Haute Route Alps, considered to be the toughest mountain cyclosportive in the world. I went straight to the start line immediately after the Rolex Fastnet, to spend 7 days 'racing' my road bike from Geneva to Nice. I was pretty slow, spending around 8 hours cycling a day; but it was good mental and physical preparation for the Transat and a thrilling week!

Throughout last year I also started to get really involved with the Mini circuit, entering the UK Solent, UK Fastnet and Mini Fastnet races; while also helping to prepare The two Pogo 2's of the 'Foksateam' in this year's Mini Transat. It was a brilliant experience to be involved with the build up to the start of the Transat in Douarnenez, flying out to the supposed stop-over in Lanzarote and later for the restart from Sada; where two solid days were spent repairing the boats ahead of the non-stop sprint to Guadeloupe. 

Being in Guadeloupe for the finish of the Transat was a great way to end the season. Following my group of friends' progress from the day they qualified for the race to the day they finished gave me further insight into what it takes to run a Mini campaign; while confirming that this is what I want to achieve in 2015. 

With just one solo race and the 1000 nautical mile passage to complete to be qualified for the 2014 Azores race, the aim of competing in the Transat is gradually becoming more of a reality. I have spent the past 4 months working solidly  on planning & budgets to make sure that come January, I could be stuck in the mud of a French campsite in my semi-converted van. As this is exactly where I am now, something must have gone right... 

At the moment my whole campaign is starting off my life savings and some kind donations, so I have covered the mooring, membership fees and the entry of two qualifying races. I really hope to get 30-35 days coaching from Tanguy Le Glatin and a good season of racing in, so fingers crossed I will come into financial sponsorship soon. 

However I am very pleased to announce the following companies as partners and sponsors for this season:

I would also like to give a huge thank you to my family and those individuals who have given donations; their support has helped with the van and living costs, making this whole dream possible.  

The adventure and the journey begins... 

Mass finish at the Mini Transat!

At 23:40 local time on the 7th December, Renaud Mary approached the pontoon to the gradually increasing beat of drums. The noise was reverberating everywhere and had everybody's heart rate up in anticipation. Gradually Renaud popped around from the stern of a boat, and the celebrations broke lose! Renaud had finished 4th in the Series class sailing his Pogo 2.

Two hours later, Annabelle Boudinot (791) took 9th in the prototype class, having had a close battle with Michele Zambelli (342) for the past few days. For Michele's arrival just minutes later, we ensured the pontoon was especially crowded with girls; we thought this might please him even more than the fact that he'd just finished 10th in the prototype class! He was given a present - boxers and a hat emblazoned with 'Merry Christmas', just to top his finish off in style.

Michele's boat 

I spent the rest of the evening with Michele and his Italian supporters, enjoying some pasta at 3am to keep us going; we were back at the boats by 5.15 am this morning, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the second Italian, Alberto Bona (Onelinesim.it). I got to go out for a speedy ride on the rib, where we met Alberto just off the Ile de Gosier.

The crowd disperses and it is just the four of us eagerly awaiting the arrival of  Alberto at some unsociable hour in the very early morning. 

The sun begins to rise...

The Minis become visible along the pontoon just before we get into the RIB

Michele looks on proudly as fellow Italian, Alberto, approaches the finish 

Alberto crossed the line at 7.31 am, after 25 days and 2 hours at sea. Finishing 5th in the Series class, the picture below shows just how happy he was!

Alberto, close to tears; an emotional moment 

Safe sailing on approach to the finish 

Just about to cross the line, complete with rainbow 

Tanguy Le Turquais (599) was close behind, and we got to cheer him on over the line too. Tanguy finished just 10 minutes behind Alberto to take 6th in the Series class. Having been in Rome when Tanguy gained the last race miles required to qualify for the Transat, to see him today finishing the race was truly fantastic! 

GO TANGUY! 

post-race interview

Cheering for the arrival of Alan (Navman, 284)

After Tanguy it was Jean-Baptiste Lemaire to finish 7th in the Series class, arriving at 0800. Just 20 seconds later Alan Roura (Navman) crossed the line, 11th prototype! With his family there having just arrived by their sailing catamaran, it must have been an amazing feeling for him. 

Oops...bit of a splash in the excitement! 

1 hour 20 minutes later, Jerome d'Aboville finished as 8th boat in the Series class. We are now awaiting the arrival of Damian Audrain (745) and Craig Horsefield (587), both in the series division- with Craig expected to finish at 15.30 local time I am hoping to make it back down to greet him. Pip Hare is now just over 170 miles away, so it won't be long until our sole British entrant finishes the race too! 

From Sada to Pointe a Pitre; the saga begins its end

Having had flights and accommodation booked in Lanzarote, I spent nearly two weeks there awaiting the arrival of the Mini fleet. However as you will know, the stop-over was effectively cancelled, with the race running instead straight from Sada in Spain to Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe; a leg of over 4,000 nautical miles.
Skippers could of course stop-over on the Island to make repairs, but any pit-stops had to be for a minimum of 12 hours.

The majority of the fleet had to sail to Sada from Gijon. Although it was only 125 miles, two notorious capes had to be rounded, with a big swell and a beat upwind. For the rounding of Cabo Ortegal gusts of up to 35 knots were expected and the fleet were advised to take shelter; some went into port and others took anchorage. However the day finally came when the Minis would arrive in Sada, and so on the 7th November I flew from Lanzarote to Madrid, spending the night in the cheapest hotel I could find- it was fashioned like a warehouse- before catching the connecting flight. I arrived around 1200 on the 8th, just in time to catch the lines of Ludo Mechin (5) and Charles Boulenger (435) as they arrived into port. Florian (633) and a number of other boats were to arrive the following day, which meant I could finally dish out the stack of freeze-dried food which had by now accumulated a vast amount of air miles!

Charles and friends enjoying the parade in Douarnenez 

With the start of the epic leg scheduled to start on the 12th at midday, this left most boats with just 2 1/2 days to prepare. You could assume that with all the delays in leaving Douarnenez the fleet would surely be ready to leave; but things always break on the Mini, food stocks need replenishing, routing needs to be updated and skippers need to try and prepare themselves; physically with rest and mentally, too. I spent most of the time food shopping, helping tip boats over onto their sides, looking into electrical problems, soldering, helping to build a new support for 633's NKE wind anemometer, actually finding a new anemometer to purchase (it had fallen from the rig and smashed), and washing dirty clothes. Drying them, and every other sodden thing on the boats, was another matter entirely.

A common sight within the Mini fleet- boats on their sides!

Race day came, with the briefing held at 0600. The dock was alive with babbling Mini sailors who after a month's delay, were finally setting off on one of the most epic of offshore races. I got to watch the start from the media boat, so had a great view of all the skippers from the top deck. It was fantastic to see so many Mini's lining up for the race and I was particularity pleased to see Ludo, in his 1999 (?) prototype, pretty much lead the fleet out of the bay.

The 8 hr flight from Paris to Guadeloupe-
layers of clouds!

Family & friends greet Aymeric

It is now the 7th of December and 10 days into my stay here in Guadeloupe. To date, 8 prototypes have finished - overall winner Benoit Marie arrived on the 1st December at 10.46 pm, after 18 days and 13 hours at sea - and 3 series boats, led by Aymeric Belloir (810), who arrived on the 4th. This evening Michele Zambelli (342) and Annabelle Boudinot (791) will have a closely fought battle for 9th place in the prototypes, crossing the line around midnight. We will also see the first big clump of arrivals in the Series fleet; Renaud Mary (535), Alberto Bona (507) and Tanguy Le Turquais (599). It will be a great moment when Tanguy crosses the finishing line, expected in 6th place; having been at the Roma Solo race when he accumulated his last qualifying miles for the Transat, I have been following closely his campaign which he has conducted in a very professional and efficient manner. Unfortunately Ludo, who also gained his last qualifying miles in Rome, suffered numerous problems throughout the race and so required various pit stops; he now lies some 1,120 miles from the finish.

Oppies sail in with Aymeric

With a late night tonight as I watch the boats come in, I am eagerly awaiting the early hours of Monday morning when Florian (633) should arrive. Having held 11th place for most of the leg to Lanzarote, he now lies 19th and some 60 miles behind Pip Hare. I'm sure he will be very happy with his position, having set out with just the aim of finishing....fellow team mate Charles (435) should be equally happy, currently in 24th despite a prolonged stop-over in Lanzarote. There are still another 10 boats behind him, with the furthest being over a 1,000 miles away!

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Below are some photos I took from my recent trip to the beach; there was home made coconut ice-cream for sale and you could also have grilled fish for lunch on the beach. 

Crab taking a dip...

crab hiding