#17. This week we have Federico Norman of Argentina talk about his Mini Transat experience on a Vector named "Red Hot Mini Pepper".
Have a question or comment? Reach out at peter@pgnoceanracing.com and make sure to check out my website www.pgnoceanracing.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @pgnoceanracing
#16. Jonas Gomes joins the podcast this week from Brazil to discuss his experience in the 2023 Mini Transat and what it took to get to the starting line.
Have a question or comment? Reach out at peter@pgnoceanracing.com and make sure to check out my website www.pgnoceanracing.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @pgnoceanracing
#15. This week I talk with Jérôme Merker from Luxembourg who completed the 2023 Mini Transat.
Have a question or comment? Reach out at peter@pgnoceanracing.com and make sure to check out my website www.pgnoceanracing.com. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @pgnoceanracing
#14. Piers Copham joins me on the podcast this week. He is from Great Britain and completed the 2021 and 2023 editions of the Mini Transat in the same prototype.
Now, if that was not enough... going into this recent Mini Transat, Piers first completed the Solitaire du Figaro (a major solo race itself) then just a few days later crossed the starting line on his Mini.
To learn more about the organization Piers represents called Voiles des Anges, check it out here: https://voilesdesanges.fr/
You can find Piers on facebook and instagram @pierscopham_oceanracing or email him at pierscopham@hotmail.com
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Have a question or comment? Reach out at peter@pgnoceanracing.com and make sure to check out my website www.pgnoceanracing.com
#13. This week I sit down with Sylvain Karpinski who is from Canada and raced in the 2023 Mini Transat on a Vector named Gusta.
It is a fascinating story of how he quickly learned how to sail and jumped right into preparing for this big race. Then during the Mini Transat he had to overcome challenges such as climbing his mast while solo in big seas and even broke his bow sprit multiple times. He shares some crazy stories about his experience and what it took to get to the finish line.
Have a question or comment? Reach out at peter@pgnoceanracing.com and make sure to check out my website www.pgnoceanracing.com
Thank you for listening!
#12. Kicking off the first of many interviews this year with the Irish Mini sailor Mark O'Connor! Mark has his sights set on the 2025 Mini Transat in series with his Maxi. We discuss how he got into the Classe Mini starting out in a Pogo2 and the transition to a newer boat. When Mark is not on his Mini, you can find him working on the electronics of an IMOCA in France.
You can find Mark on Instagram @marksmini650 or email him at mocsailing@gmail.com. Check out his website www.ocean.racing
Have a question or comment for me? Reach out at peter@pgnoceanracing.com and make sure to check out my website www.pgnoceanracing.com
Thank you for listening!
#11. Happy New Year! First episode of 2024 where we cover briefly the delivery from Guadeloupe to Florida. Make sure to follow this podcast, because we have a lot of new episodes coming out soon with interviews from other Mini sailors.
Feel free to email us at peter@pgnoceanracing.com
#10. Leg 2 of the Mini Transat complete! What a wild adventure with breaking off my rudder completely and stopping in Cape Verde for a quick 12 hour repair. Then spending the next two weeks racing across the Atlantic ocean. Listen to Jane and I break down the second and final leg of this transatlantic ocean race.
Watch my interview with Alex from the Winded Voyage YouTube Channel in Cape Verde during my stopover!!! https://youtu.be/J9vXhK8W60I?si=BO-Kpy6fmrLOpyvZ
Make sure to check out my blog posts and sign up for emails here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog
Want to support this campaign? Donate here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/donate
Feel free to reach out by email at peter@pgnoceanracing.com
#9. The final half of the race from the first leg. Listen as I review the After Action Report parts 3 &4 and add some additional insight. Check out the AAR Blog posts for pictures and race tracker screen shots for the times I am referencing here.
Part 3: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog/mini-transat-leg-1-aar-pt3-days-5-8
Part 4: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog/mini-transat-leg-1-aar-pt4-days-9-13-finish
Interested in supporting this campaign? Donate Here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/donate
Send all questions and comments to peter@pgnoceanracing.com or jane@pgnoceanracing.com
Thank you for following my mission to raise awareness for U.S. Patriot Sailing by racing in the Mini Transat!
#8. Listen as I recap the first four days of racing in the 2023 Mini Transat. While reading through parts 1 &2 from my After Action Review (AAR) blog posts, I also add some additional insights into what was happening out on the race course.
Find these blog posts and more on my website here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog
Interested in supporting this mission? Donate here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/donate
Have a question about the race or interested in getting into Classe Mini racing? Send me an email at peter@pgnoceanracing.com. While I am out racing, feel free to email Jane at jane@pgnoceanracing.com.
Are you a military veteran or still on active duty? Do you know of a veteran who might need help? Come sail with U.S. Patriot Sailing or let a friend know about this program! Sign up here: www.uspatriotsailing.org
Thank you for following and supporting this campaign!
#7. Most Marines can still hear the saying "Your prep time has ended..." echo across the rifle range, no matter how long ago they experienced the qualification process. Well, those words still felt just as real as we approached the start of the 2023 Mini Transat.
Listen to this episode where Jane Millman helps me break down the final preparations for the big race. We discuss the experience of the race village in Les Sables d'Olonne, the departure, and the start of the first leg.
This episode provides some insight into Leg 1 of the Mini Transat, but make sure to check out the full After Action Report (AAR) blog posts coming out soon at https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog
Make sure to check out the tracker too! See my route here: https://minitransat.geovoile.com/2023/tracker/
Want to support this campaign? Donate here: https://www.uspatriotsailing.org/page-18221
THANK YOU for all of our supporters and sponsors for helping get me to the starting line!
-Peter
#6. With less than 40 days until the start of the 2023 Mini Transat, I host our first interview for the podcast! Jane Millman has been an integral part of this mission from the very beginning and shares some of her insights into this campaign. She has sailed about 1,000 nm on Terminal Leave and has some stories to share about sailing in the Bay of Biscay, English Channel, and Celtic Sea. Jane adds both a personal and professional perspective on the last three years of preparing for the big race.
Make sure to sign up for email updates here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/
Want to support this campaign? Please donate! https://www.uspatriotsailing.org/page-18221
#5. July SITREP: With just over two months left before the start of the Mini Transat, it is time for an update. These past few months have been extremely busy as we get closer to the start of the big race. Recorded July 18, 2023 from Annapolis, MD.
Make sure to sign up and check out the July SITREP blog post online: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog/july-sitrep-1
Please support this campaign and donate, THANK YOU!!! https://www.uspatriotsailing.org/page-18221
#4. What does take to qualify for the Mini Transat? With so many skippers competing for 90 spots in the big race, understanding the rules, race calendar, and registration process is critical to qualifying in time. The simple answer is 1500 nm of racing in the class and a 1,000 nm solo qualifier...but it gets complicated quickly!
Find the Mini race calendar here: https://www.classemini.com/?mode=courses
See the pre-registration list for this year's Mini Transat here (click the PDF link under other documents): https://www.classemini.com/course-en-mini-transat-2023-1.html
Check out all of my podcast interviews here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/podcasts
Thanks for listening! Want to support this campaign, you can donate through U.S. Patriot Sailing here: https://www.uspatriotsailing.org/page-18221
#3. Let's break down the difference between prototype and series boats within the Classe Mini 6.50
Starting with THE most important website to know if you are thinking of jumping into Mini sailing. The website is not easy to find and not listed on the Classe Mini website anywhere...follow this podcast to learn more tips like this!
(Note: if you get a security error...keep hitting refresh or try the first part of the link)
Check out the history of each boat here:
https://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/Histoire%20des%20Minis/N%20N%20N%20N.htm
See what the boat designers have created here:
https://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/Histoire%20des%20Minis/Architectes.htm
Additional info on the Series boats:
https://www.histoiredeshalfs.com/Histoire%20des%20Minis/S%20S%20S%20S.htm
Good news...the Mini Transat website is back up! https://minitransat.fr/
Also, the Mini Transat registration list was updated May 15th (just a few more spots available for protos): https://www.classemini.com/modules/courses/upload/467/2023%20-%20MINI-TRANSAT%20-%20LISTE%20PRE-INSCRITS%20150523.pdf
Check out my recent blog post: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog/the-classe-mini-season-is-in-full-swing
Thank you to everyone who has donated. Please help support this campaign here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/donate
Follow on social media @PGNoceanracing
Are you a veteran? Sign up and come sail with us: www.uspatriotsailing.org
Help spread the word and tell a veteran you know about this team!
#2. In this episode I explain what the Mini Transat is and break it down in a quick overview.
The Mini Transat is a 4,050 nautical mile solo ocean race on 21’ sailboats (Classe Mini 6.50) across the Atlantic Ocean. Starting from Les Sables d’Olonne, France the first leg is 1,350 nm to Santa Cruz de La Palma. This is the westernmost island of the Canary archipelago off the west coast of Africa. With an estimated duration of a little over a week, this first leg is known for strong winds and challenging weather conditions.
The second leg is 2,700 nm long across the Atlantic to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Sailing through the trade winds, this leg should take about two weeks to finish. These boats are designed for this downwind and reaching conditions; the Mini Transat is the pinnacle race for this fleet.
Key Dates (2023)
12 Sept: Race village opens / boats arrive
20 Sept: Parade of Minis in the bay (“prologue”)
24 Sept: Start of Leg 1 (France - Santa Cruz de La Palma)
28 Oct: Start of Leg 2 (Sant Cruz de La Palma - Guadeloupe)
Leading up to the start in Les Sables d’Olonne, there is a large race village set up by the race organization and an incredible send off for the fleet. Everyone is invited to come check out the festivities and see the boats before the race. If you are interested in coming to France to cheer me on at the start, let me know!
Current Events:
U.S. Patriot Sailing:
Support this Campaign!
Please donate at https://www.uspatriotsailing.org/page-18221
Sign up for my blog post emails here: https://www.pgnoceanracing.com/blog
Follow on social media: @PGNoceanracing
Thank you for listening!!!
#1. Welcome to the first episode of The Mini Transat Mission: An Offshore Sailing Podcast! I am your host, Peter Gibbons-Neff, and my mission is to race in the upcoming 2023 Mini Transat. This 4,050 nautical mile solo race departs from France in September in 21' sailboats.
In this podcast we will explore all things Classe Mini 6.50 related with a focus on the Mini Transat. It will cover solo offshore racing and dive into the French sailing scene.
This first episode discusses the goals for starting the podcast and the why behind starting it now. We also introduce U.S. Patriot Sailing, a non-profit organization that supports military veterans through this sport.
If you want to support my mission to raise awareness for U.S. Patriot Sailing by racing in the Mini Transat, you can donate through the team website (tax deductible donation!) https://www.uspatriotsailing.org/page-18221 or on my GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/f43e698e
Make sure to hit the follow or subscribe button, and please leave a review!
Let me know what you want to hear about, feel free to email me at peter@pgnoceanracing.com
Follow me on social media @pgnoceanracing for more updates throughout this adventure.
Thank you for listening and for supporting this mission!
