Ocean race for midgets

Today 60 21ft ocean going skiffs will set off across the Atlantic from France to Brazil

What is the Mini Transat?

Defying all manner of attempts to get itself banned in legislation heavy France, the Mini Transat is an utterly unique event in the yachting calendar.

The event was created by Bob Salmon and first run from Penzance in 1977. Having witnessed the start of the 1976 Observer Singlehanded TransAtlantic Race (OSTAR), which at the time had no maximum length restriction and so included giants such as Alain Colas' 236ft four master Club Mediterranee, Salmon was intent on the idea of racing a boat across the Atlantic singlehanded, but could not afford one of the size considered the minimum by the OSTAR's organisers, the Royal Western Yacht Club. So the Mini Transat was born, as a rogue offshoot of the OSTAR in which there was just one rule - maximum size of the boats could be no greater than 21ft.

Early races race from Penzance to Antigua, but in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the beginning of the French revolution in offshore racing was taking place spurred on by Eric Tabarly and a number of French sailing heroes. At this time there were many starry-eyed young French skippers who wanted to emulate the exploits of their heroes. Many went on to become great sailing legends in their own right in later years.

Current French stars who have done well in the Mini Transat include Vendee Globe veterans Jean-Luc van den Heede (1977 and 1979), Isabelle Autissier (1987), Yves Parlier (winner in 1985), Michel Desjoyeaux (1991) and Thierry Dubois (winner in 1993), multihull sailors such as Bruno Peyron (1977), Loick Peyron (1979) and Laurent (1987) and Yvan Bourgnon (winner 1995) and Marc Guillemot (1989), even Whitbread winner Lionel Pean (1979). It has also been responsible for launching several careers in solo sailing for British sailors most notably Ellen MacArthur (1997), Mark Turner (1997) and Alex Bennett (1999).

Soon the French dominated the event and took the start to France from where it has now been run for many years.

For some time now the race has been split into two sections. In recent years it has run from France to the Canaries and then on to Martinique. This allows the fleet a chance to draw breath and regroup as often they get a pasting on their way out of the Bay of Biscay. This occurred two years ago when several boats came unstuck and their skippers had to be airlifted off placing much strain on the rescue authorities. There were however also amazing tales such as French yacht designer David Raison, whose yacht had an innovative keel which not only canted but could be angled fore and aft, and trimmed. Inevitably it fell off in the Bay of Biscay, but somehow Raison was able to slacken the rigging and lower the mast in time to prevent the boat turning turtle and sailed back to France with no keel, under jury rig.

Another unique aspect of this race is the lack of communications. Although it seems almost 'retro' the only two way communication allowed even now is VHF radio. There is one way communications such as EPIRB and ARGOS distress beacons which a skipper can use to alert the rescue authorities in case they get into a life threatening situation. They are also allowed radio receivers to pick up forecasts, but SSB radio and satellite communications are banned. While every other long distance singlehanded race including the Vendee Globe or the various transatlantic events, allows skippers to send as many email as they like or to surf the internet or make crystal clear phone conversations from on board, in the Mini Transat skippers can do none of this. In an electronics crazy world, they are almost completely alone.