41 skippers already registered for the Mini Pavois...

On the 4th of March 2010, 41 sailors have registered for the 2010 Mini Pavois. Up to date, there are 18 prototypes and 23 series boats: 26 French sailors, 1 dual nationality sailor and 14 foreigners. Once again, the internationalization of the Classe Mini speaks for itself with the Spanish Jorge Maden Ruiz, a Turkish with Tolga Pamir, a Czech with Milan Kolacek, two Americans Andy Abel and Ryan Finn, two Dutchmen with Robert Rosen Jacobson and Lucas Schroder, a Scotsman with Ewan Stirling, a Belgian with Jonas Gerckens, a Canadian with Bruce Gailey, a German with Jorg Riechers, a Swiss with Etienne David, a Franco-Swiss with Thibault Reinhart and finally, a New Zealander with Conrad Colman.

Fair fights to come…

They are currently "only" 41 to be registered; it will fight hard in both categories.

Prototypes: Monitor Nicolas Boidevezi (719 - Défi G.D.E.) on its design Bertrand 2008 who finished 7th in the last The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50; Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de) on its a design Bertrand 2009 that is the 2009 Transgascogne's winner, as well as Sébastien Rogues (716 – Eole Génération – GDF Suez) that has traded his series boat for Henry Paul Schipman's boat - design Lombard - that was 3rd in Salvador de Bahia in 2009. Also note the arrival in the prototypes category of a Swiss that is already known in the sailing world: Etienne David (679 - Teamwork). With several participations in the Tour de France à la Voile and an impressive record of achievements, Etienne will sail off on Stéphane Le Diraison's former Manuard 2007 that finished 4th in the last The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50. Please also keep an eye on...Three new prototypes: Thomas Normand (787 – Financière de l’Echiquier) with a design Manuard 2009, Milan Kolacek (759 - Follow me) on another design Manuard 2009 and Thibault Reinhard (791) on a proto Marin 2010. Also rely on the only woman (for now), Véronique Loisel (429 – De l’espace pour la mer) that will sail on her proto Lombard 2003, which is none other than the boat that belonged to Alex Pella and that finished 2nd in the 2005 edition of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50. Finally, note the arrival on the circuit of a free ride World Champion (extreme skiing) Aurélien Ducroz (417 – Nissan) on a proto Lombard. After plenty of challenges on snow, Aurelien wants a challenge at sea!

On the side of series boats, 14 Pogo 2 will line up for the start among the 23 sailors. Once again, Finot will be the most represented. There will be as well two Manuard's Tip-Top with Jorge Maden Ruiz (636 – Casio G-Shock) and Loïc Le Bras (579 – Cachaca) and we can celebrate the arrival of three new D2 - design Rolland - in the hands of Tolga Pamir (737 - Yakamoz), Pierre Cizeau (746 - E=MD2) and Brendan Archin (757 - Bibounde). Will the supremacy Pogo 2 be shattered? To be continued... Four competitors do their come back after their adventure in the 2009 Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50, namely Robert Rosen Jacobson (602-Ned602), Jonas Gerckens (473 - Zerline), Emmanuel Renaud (446 - Koati) and Conrad Colman (480 - Betelgeuse).

2010 Mini Pavois' poster

800 miles solo...

May 2010, they will be 60 sailors to participate to the Mini Pavois - qualifying race  for the 2011 Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50. Great race of 800 nautical miles solo with a stopover. This sixth edition of the Mini Pavois will head south, for the fourth time, to Gijon (Asturias, Spain).

New: The race will not be held during the year of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6,50. This will enable us to discover new talents of tomorrow but also to estimate the future favourites in the Mini class, a class that knows no crisis.

A race for specialists and tacticians.
The fleet will leave the coasts of the Charente-Maritime prior to sailing to Gijon (Asturias-Spain). There is about 300 miles of sailing to the Spanish port via the Bay of Biscay. If the best option is to go into a high-pressure system with East / North East winds, they will have to think over to avoid the flirting with possible lifts of Ocean’s bottom on the continental shelf. Lifts that generate a forceful and dangerous sea even with moderate gales. If the wind is westerly dominant, they will have to learn to manage the current... The approach of Gijon is not simple with the effects of wind along the Cantabrian hills. Once in Gijon, the fleet will stop for a few days off and sail off again on Sunday the 9th of May 2010 for 500 miles via a turning mark buoy yet undetermined before going back to the Charente-Maritime and La Rochelle. They will have then to be careful of shipping and fishing fleets, to manage the current overturns and coasts effects between the islands.

First arrivals on the 12th of May...
Programme: the 60 boats participating in the 2010 Mini Pavois will be at the marina of La Rochelle - Les Minimes from Friday the 30th of April 2010 (12:00 am local time). The start sequences will be launched on Tuesday the 4th of May 2010 and the start from Gijon (Spain) on Sunday the 9th of May. The first arrivals in the sea in front of the Charente-Maritime should be on the 12th of May.

A fantastic event…
Finally, as for anecdote, remember the names of the winner and the second prototype of the 2009 Mini Pavois:  Thomas Ruyant and Bertrand Delesne. Both of them won, a few months later, the first and second rank in the Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 for 2009 prototype category... An indication! Mini Pavois is indeed one major event to qualify for The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 and to discover the new favourites of the 2011 The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50.


2009 Mini Pavois podium:

Prototypes:
1. Thomas Ruyant (Faber France)
2. Bertrand Delesne (Raging Bull and Entreprendre Durablement)
3. Rémi Auburn (AT Children's Project)

Series:
1. Davy Beaudart (Port à sec Guy Beaudart)
2. Fabien Sellier (Surfrider Foundation)
3. Pierre-Yves Lautrou (Altaïde Moovement)