Start delayed

Bad weather sees leg two start of Les Sables-Azores-Les Sables solo Mini race put back by 24 hours

According to weather forecast, the second leg of the Minis' Les Sables-the Azores-Les Sables race is going to be very hard. Already thanks to a depression centred due south of the Azores islands is bringing with it strong northeasterlies, to the extent that this morning (Tuesday 15 August) the Race Committee has decided to delay the start by 24 hours to Wednesday 16 August th at 1302 UTC.

Even in 24 hours time the forecast is not looking much better. While the low to the south will have dissipated slightly a 20 knot northeasterly will still be blowing (ie directly on the nose) and the sea will be rough. With another depression over the Bay of Biscay beginning to dominate the weather competitors will see the wind back to the north and then the northwest the further up the track they go. 24 hours into the leg it will still be blowing 15-20 knots from the north and will be much the same after 48 hours when the low over Bay of Biscay is scheduled to move off to the north. 72 hours into the leg the wind should be backing further to the NNE but will remain at around 15-20 knots. These are classic Mini breaking conditions and the skippers will have to sail prudently if they are to reach the finish line in one piece. The technique will be to hold on for the upwind section before putting the foot to the floor once the wind has backed.

Conversely when the boats reach Bay of Biscay over the weekend then the forecast is showing much calmer weather and at this point the race will turn much more tactical - should they head north going along the Brittany coast, south following the Spanish cliffs or along the rhumb line?

For the return journey 58 boats will take the start line. American Clay Burkhalter on Acadia has not been able to repair his broken mast.

As to the leaders 30 Protos will be gunning for first placed Adrien Hardy on Brossard who arrived 1 hour 23 minutes ahead of Slovenian Andraz Mihelin on Adria Mobil Too and two hours before Fabien Despres on Soitec. 28 Series boats similarly will be after the first threee leaders who arrived in Horta within 15 minutes of each other: Francisco Lobato ( BPI), Jean-François Quélen ( Galanz) and Antoine Debled ( ADD Modules).