| Bubb takes initial Mini Transat lead |
British sailor Nick Bubb sailing his Rogers designed Prototype Mini Transat yacht led the 72-strong fleet off the startline of the Transat 6.50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia this afternoon in La Rochelle.
Bubb, who's sailing his first Mini Transat race, took the best start in the 15kt north-easterly breeze and managed to hold off his rivals to lead round the first mark of the short windward/leeward loop in the bay. However, as the fleet headed for Fort-Boyard buoy - the final mark before turning south towards Lanzarote - Corentin Douguet (race favourite) managed to break through Bubb's lead. With spinnakers set, the sleigh-ride began with Bubb chasing Douguet for the lead in the building breeze.
Slovinian sailor Kristian Hajnsek sailing Adria Mobil - a one-year-old Manuard design - rounded Fort-Boyard in third with Phil Sharp, another British sailor, securing fourth place round the mark. Frenchman Nicolas Bunoust in Loire Atlantique had to turn back shortly after the start because of problems with his autopilot.
The current forecast shows the wind continuing to build throughout the evening reaching 25kts, which is perfect for 31-year-old Douguet who's sailing one of the most powerful boats in the fleet. This Manuard design is light, very beamy in the aft section, and has a swinging keel/waterballast (180 litres) which can be shifted all the way across the boat. For this offwind blast south however, Douguet will have put in his first reef and dumped the ballast to make her as light and controllable as possible.
Sue Pelling/Yachting World, 17 September 2005
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