Mini Pavois start delayed

Gale forecast for the Bay of Biscay causes 24 hour postponement

The start of the Mini Pavois' first leg from La Rochelle to Gijon was delayed today following a warning from Meteo France predicting 'a gale tomorrow night and a similar forecast from the race’s partner, Meteo Consult. As a result the Race committee have decided to postpone the start by 24 hours until Wednesday 5 May at 1100.

Denis Hughes, Race Director of the Mini Pavois said: "The postponement is due to the weather forecast. The wind is relatively strong in the area, especially over Tuesday until Wednesday night, with gusts over 40 knots and waves of over 3m. The situation should improve the next day. We, thus, decided to postpone the start. The safety rules obviously prevail but there are also some sailors for whom this is their first offshore race and it is not reasonable to leave them in such an awkward position when they already have to get used to a new sleep rhythm, to feed, hydrate themselves properly... This race is already a great school of sailing and there was no need to complicate it further.”

Eric Mas, Météo Consult gave his forecast: “A 1035hPa high pressure off Ireland and 990 hPa low pressure in the Mediterranean Sea, rising back slowly from the Balearic Islands is generating a strong northerly stream over the Bay of Biscay. The dense cold air caused by the stream is particularly unstable - the gusts are violent and the waves rise rapidly. Off La Rochelle, there is NNE wind force 6-7 gusting to 35 knots in the afternoon. The significant wave height is estimated at 3 meters. Visibility is good, except in the squalls. The situation practically does not change overnight.”

43 boats are set to line up on the start line on Wednesday. There have been four withdrawals - Véronique Loisel, Ewan Stirling, Pierre Boivin and David Prono. So this leaves 17 Protos and 26 Series boats.