Crossing both Atlantic and Equator

The Mini Transat is a bi-annual, solo transatlantic sailing race, and provides a proving ground for the latest design ideas in the 21-foot Mini 6.50 Class. These ideas have influenced the Class40 and the IMOCA 60 yachts, with Mini designer Sam Manuard  now applying his scow bow to the Mach 50 Palanad 4.

American Peter Gibbons-Neff is building a new Manuard-designed boat for the 2027 Mini Transat which will have a revised race course for the September 2027 start. He explains:

Ninety Minis will cross the starting line in La Rochelle, France, with the fleet setting off to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in the Canaries for a stop over, and then finish in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.

This is exciting for the Classe Mini 6.50 fleet since now we will be crossing both the Atlantic Ocean and equator in the same race. This revived route is already a part of the long history of the race, because it had previously been used six times from 2001-2011. – Full report