Blazing start, enforced layover, back on course to La Palma
What’s New at the Mini Transat 2025
On September 21, the 2025 Mini Transat set off from Les Sables d’Olonne. Mathis Bourgnon rounded the first mark in the lead, then settled around fifth on average, while Benoît Marie moved to the front and set the pace for a long stretch. Conditions deteriorated quickly with shifting winds, rough seas, and fully powered sections. With a severe storm forecast, the race committee neutralized the leg and ordered a safe haven in Portugal on Thursday, September 25. The first leg was subsequently canceled.
In this demanding weather, they were fortunately well protected with the Coastal Racing Jacket and Coastal Racing Salopette, which kept spray and gusts at bay, maintained watertight seals at the collar and zipper, held the hood in place during maneuvers, and left pockets accessible even when clipped on. This helped the skippers stay dry and focused when conditions turned tricky.
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Fix, Reset, Sail: Cascais
In Cascais, Mathis used the stop to get the boat back into shape: he fixed an AIS failure, replaced the wind sensor (after a “hellish” mast climb) to regain wind data, dealt with the loss of the medium spinnaker, forcing him to continue under gennaker on wider angles… resolved a DTS blackout, and repaired light damage to sail and hull after a major wipeout under gennaker. He also serviced an autopilot line, fitted a new aerial, and lost a GoPro overboard. The following Monday, Mathis set off again toward Santa Cruz de La Palma to reach the start of the second leg (scheduled October 25 in the Canaries), with ETA in La Palma of 3–4 days.
Off the Coast, On the Gas
Meanwhile, during the first phase before the neutralization, Benoît Marie opted for prudence in the heavy weather, standing off the Portuguese coast to stay in the NE flow. The call paid off: he logged 14.9 knots average for several hours and stretched his lead to 39 miles over the second proto, positioning well toward Cape St. Vincent and eyeing a route down along the Moroccan coast to sidestep the ridge and the light airs on the direct line to the Canaries. With the speed of his boat, he could afford to sail a little extra distance to hunt for pressure and, with luck, take off when racing resumes.
At the end of this eventful sequence, with a lively start, a storm forecast, neutralization, and a Portuguese stopover, the 2025 Mini Transat shows how offshore racing blends performance, strategy, and resilience. Mathis is back in shape and aiming to reach La Palma within three to four days, looking ahead calmly to the second leg on October 25. Benoît’s assured weather calls and sustained speed promise plenty for the road ahead. Now it’s all about the open ocean, system management, and tactical options, and the real race is only just beginning.
