Save yourself, Hurricane Gabriel on Mini Transat: first leg canceled

Heading into a safe harbor, that will be the goal in the coming hours for Mini Transat skippers engaged in the 1350-mile-long first leg from Les Sables d’Olonne to Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands.

Hurricane Gabriel, 60 knots on the way!

In fact, the Race Committee issued a weather alert because of ‘Hurricane Gabriel, which will hit the Portuguese coast on Saturday with winds expected to reach 60 knots, and thus would affect the fleet that would be just slightly south of the storm’s trajectory.

Racing for Italy are Cecilia Zorzi on Eki, and Nicolò Gamenara on Red Hot Mini Pepper, both in the Series category. Gamenara had had an excellent start to the regatta so far, often battling in the top 5, proving to be concrete and fast.

More problematic is the situation of Cecilia Zorzi, who after an excellent start in the first 36 hours, may have suffered some technical problems during the crossing of the Bay of Biscay in strong wind conditions. In fact, Zorzi had suddenly slowed down and lost positions, raising suspicions of a problem on board, of which there is currently no news, however.

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Winning a world championship in your own land is a crazy thrill. Right Magdalena?

We will know more in the coming hours when she too is expected at one of the ports along the Portuguese coast.

The Notice of Race Direction

Hurricane Gabriel, which is approaching the Portuguese coast, is expected to be particularly violent. Classified as a Category 4 hurricane, it is one of the most powerful hurricanes of the year. With gusts reaching 60 knots and waves of six to eight meters, this weather phenomenon is comparable to storm Ciaran, which struck France two years ago.

Under these conditions, the Race Direction, in agreement with the organizer, decided to cancel this first leg. Gabriele is expected to hit the area as early as Saturday, allowing competitors still at sea to seek shelter in good conditions.

Emmanuel Versace, organizer of the Boulangère Mini Transat, explains this decision:
“The storm is expected to be devastating. Our priority is the safety of the competitors and support boats. By warning them today, they will have time to seek shelter in good conditions.” We are working with the ports on site so that they can accommodate them in the best way possible.”