Cap on the MiniTransat 03

Once the MiniTransat

1977 : An englishman named Bob Salmon set out to, face up to the disproportion of the boats involved in transatlantic racing, a new concept : mini boats for crossing the Atlantic. His motto (A man, a boat, an ocean) still stands today. The first edition braught together 23 competitors, and was won by Daniel Gillard. 1987 : The MiniTransat moves out to France and it’s from the town of Concarneau that the courageous mini racers depart to take on the ocean. The MiniTransat has taken leaps and bounds to become the most prefered single-handed race world wide, in it’s wake making known big names in sailing like Loïck and Bruno Peyron, Michel Desjoyaux, Isabelle Autissier, Yves Parlier, Thomas Coville... In time it has become a full on media event. Today, the Minitransat has conserved it’s spirit of a real adventure and next september the mini 6.5 m boats, identical small scaled Open 60’s (Vendée Globe) will once again come together on the Atlantic.

a man Benoît Marsille, 28 years old, has been sailing in Brittany since the age of four. He spent his childhood by the bay of Concarneau, sailing optimist and 420 dinghy’s. At the age of 26, graphic designer, he decides to devote all his time to sailing. Ever since, the racing bug has got him, he has accumulated thousands of milles on all types of boats (Figaro Solo, 60 feet open, multi, classics), experiences and seamanship which bring him to the start time of the MiniTransat 03. Cap on Salvador de Bahia.

a boat The mini 6.5 is a boat which mesure 6.5 meters long and 3 meters wide, a mini model of the Open 60 (boats for the Vendée Globe), designed to plane over the water, with a powerful sail plan and an extremly light displacement. All go fast, very fast to the other side of the Atlantic. The team 117, designed by Pierre Rolland in 97, is a boat built for winning. The hull of this prototype 6.5 was baught by Yannick Bestaven in 97 and was thouroghly prepaired for his first participation of the MiniTransat 99.

an ocean For 2003, the organisators have prepared a challenging coastal and offshore program. Six key events which create multiple opertunitys for communicating. THE SELEC 6,50 Pornichet - île d’Yeu - Port Bourgenay - Groix - Pornichet Starting 1st of may, four days of single-handed racing with coastal sprints in te bay of biscay, offering close contact testing. LE MINI PAVOIS La Rochelle - Porthmouth - Douarnenez Starting the 18th of may in La Rochelle for two weeks of surf on Atlantique, the english channel and the bay of Biscay. LE MINI FASTNET Douarnenez - Fastnet Rock - Douarnenez A mystic competition, 700 milles through the violent tides of the English Channel, the long swells of the Irish Sea, and the raging rapids of the Raz de Sein. A very intensive offshore race making a there and back sprint around the famous Fastnet rock. This race, sailed double-handed during the middle of june is allready a legend. CHRONO 6,50 Lorient - Groix - Lorient Each boat, full speed from Lorient to Lorient making a circuit around the island of Groix. Starting block open 24 hours a day from the 4th to the 6th of july. Teeth gritting race against the clock with good action in the race village.

OPEN DEMI CLÉ Locmiquélic - Port Bourgenay The 12th of july the Open Demi Clé takes us to Port Bourgenay, a bay of Biscay race not lacking spice with an interesting course and a high level of racing. TRANSGASCOGNE Port Bourgenay - Gijon - Port Bourgenay Right in middle of summer, the Minis make the spectacle on the Atlantic coast. The 20th of july the fleet leave Port Bourgenay, ripping across the Bay of Biscay to Gijon in the north of Spain, making the first leg. The return trip to Port Bourgenay a week later will host the last finish line before the MiniTransat. The media will be au rendezvous looking for their favorites.

LA MINITRANSAT La Rochelle - Lanzarotte - Salvador de Bahia A few months away from the fourtinth edition of the MiniTransat which leaves La Rochelle in september 2003, the Mini association have nothing else to prove. The most open and the most international event of its kind. The MiniTransat is devided into two legs, stopping over in Lanzarotte. Straight after the start, the autum depressions of the bay of Biscay will be ready to welcome the competitors. This complicated passage to negociate should leave after it less stable winds which will open up a tactical race to the finish in Lanzarotte. For the 2nd leg, the Atlantic will be the hosting theatre, for a gruelling competition, with a passage across the equator.Only one idea : always go faster. A story of men and women ready for anything to accomplish their dreams.

Press impact Today more than ever, a company looking to develop must impose it’s differences by showing the original uses of it’s talents. The sponsoring is a real tool in communication, desinged to build notoriety and valorise the image of the company, bringing with it the internal dynamique and federation. The racing spirit particularly in sailing is emotionally fully charged of images, very well felt and shared by the public. There is a real parallel between the company spirit and the personality of the skipper, by the shared team spirit and the going beyard oneself. The MiniTransat is 110 journalists at the start in La Rochelle, 680 articles in 127 papers and magazines, 15 televised emisions... To finance this project, we have imagined diverse formulas of powership. If you wish to give your name to the boat comming full footedly into this adventure which is focusing on the MiniTransat. To know about your engagements in this project, the areas which follow are at your disposition : • half the hull on each side of the boat • a sail (main sail, spinnaker or jib) • waterproof clothing of the captaine and his technical crew as well as all the communication operations possible around this project If you wich to support this project, we also offer • the stern of the boat • the main sail boom • the sides of the coach roof As a partner of this project You are informed every week of the progress and the goings on of the project You recieve the press release before, during and after each race You will be present on the internet web sites of the project and of each race You are invited and can communicate on the events (baptism...)

Budget boat rent

23 000 euros

sails and decoration

8 000 euros

transport

5 000 euros

uplift, boat yard expences

5 000 euros

insurance, harbour fees and shiping back

10 000 euros

entry fees, licences and weather routeing

2 000 euros

salaries

15 000 euros

Total budget

68 000 euros

contact Benoît Marsille 23 rue de Kersiles 29170 Fouesnant 06 81 37 15 01 [email protected]