Mini Transat: Melwinn Fink and the death of the Esprit Mini

We could call it the Mini Transat of discord. Namely, the one in which a young German just 19 years old, Melwinn Fink, racing among the Series, slapped the famous “Esprit Mini” in the face. He did not heed the Regatta Management’s patronizing recommendation, as well as the fleet’s decision to repair to port, which apparently occurred in an excited “assembly” via VHF.

The fact remains that no one had officially suspended the race, and Fink, rightly or wrongly, decided to try to take advantage of the opportunity and is succeeding. The first stage, finishing in Santa Cruz in the Canary Islands, is his, and now all attention turns to the time trial. How much margin does Fink need to be able to withstand the certainly angry reaction the fleet will give him for the second leg?

MINI TRANSAT LEG 2: ALL AGAINST FINK?

The only chance the group has to oust Fink, whose lead over most of his rivals may be even more than 40 hours, is to impose an unmitigated pace in Leg 2 and put the German on the ropes by forcing him to take risks. Feasible?

In a face-to-face chat we had with Ambrogio Beccaria, winner of the 2019 Transat, the Milanese sailor told us, “in 2019 I had won the second stage with about a 22-hour margin over the second, but because there was also the weather favoring me and slowing down the others, it was a tremendous advantage. Fink could have even double that lead and as early as the first stage, that’s a very important margin.” Ambrose confessed to us, and it is worth believing him. Is the Mini Transat therefore closed already in the Canary Islands? Never say never. In a sport where key elements are meteorology and mechanics anything can really happen, although this Fink really seems to have a “tough skin.”

THE ITALIANS AT THE MINI TRANSAT

It has been a difficult few days for the Italians and in particular for Alberto Riva, who from being the leader before the stop in Portugal found himself after the restart chasing, losing many positions. Certainly from a mental point of view the moment has been difficult, but Acrobatic Construction in the last 24 hours has been back on the warpath, and Riva’s 14th position gives hope that there is still room in the last 300 miles to Santa Cruz to catch up in the standings. Excellent test, almost surprisingly, of Luca Del Zozzo, who was in 13th position this morning, oi piu delayed the other Italians. Matteo Sericano is in 14th position among Prototypes, Giovanni Mengucci 19th among Series, Giammarco Sardi 24th, Massimo Vatteroni 34th, Francesco Renella 62nd .

Meanwhile, the first four prototypes have already arrived in that order: stage victory for Tanguy Bouroullec, second the Frenchman Fabio Muzzolini, third Pierre Le Roy, and fourth the young and strong Russian Irina Gracheva. But the famous Esprit Mini, is it still alive?

Tracking Mini Transat

Mauro Giuffrè

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