The inaugural McIntyre Mini Globe Race (MGR) has officially set sail. The first leg from Antigua to Panama has already delivered drama, camaraderie and a masterclass in offshore sailing in these Mighty Mini’s.
With 15 ALMA Class Globe 580s battling it out over 1,200 nautical miles, the MGR is proving to be everything the sailors themselves expected, the ultimate test of skill, endurance and a whole lot of fun in boats they built themselves.
The race kicked off on 23 February in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, under a brilliant blue sky and a steady 15-knot breeze. National Sailing Academy, with its commitment to youth and disabled sailing, provided the perfect backdrop for the event. The skippers, already local heroes, took kids and disabled Antiguans for a sail during an open day, earning cheers and admiration from the community. As the fleet paraded through Falmouth Harbour Marina, they were met with foghorns, bagpipes and the kind of enthusiasm that only a Caribbean island can muster.
The start was nothing short of spectacular. 14 boats jostled for position, with Adam Waugh on Little Wren crossing the line first. Eric Marsh on Sunbear had a minor hiccup, running aground while sorting out headsail issues, but he was back in the race just eight minutes later. Meanwhile, Jasmine Harrison on Numbatou was already turning heads, flying her bright pink A5 spinnaker and “hooting along” down the coast.
The fleet quickly settled into their routines, with Renaud Stitelmann on Capucinette showing why he’s the one to watch. Sailing wing and wing with his A5 spinnaker, Renaud looked like he was on a leisurely Sunday cruise rather than a grueling ocean race. By the first night, the fleet was tightly packed, only a few miles separating the top five boats.
The Caribbean Sea served up its usual mix of beauty and challenges. Strong currents became the wildcard creating confusing, even dangerous seas that kept most of the skippers busy and alert for much of the passage. Strong tradewinds kept the average speeds high, but at times when against the current, 6m short steep seas developed, all this when inside cabin temperatures were running at 33 degrees. Dan Turk on Little Bea had a close encounter with what could have been a small whale, which brought his boat to a sudden halt from 6kts and sent him flying into the galley bulkhead.
Meanwhile, Renaud continued to set the pace, treating himself to his signature homemade banana cake (slightly lopsided but delicious) and proving that even in the middle of an around the world race, you can still enjoy the finer things in life. The late John Guzzwell on TREKKA who 70 years ago set out on his solo Mini voyage around the world would be happy to see this!
Keri Harris on Origami, despite hand-steering virtually the entire leg with no windvane fitted and only one small electric autopilot , clung to Renaud’s coattails, showing incredible determination. All was good until it wasn’t, about three days from the finish. He was down below with the companionway hatch open in a comfortable sea, when an unexpected large sea slammed into the back of the boat knocking it down, wiping out both solar panels, and flooding 5-600ltrs of water down below onto the Nav-station. This destroyed his sat phone which was being charged at the time, as well as other electrical equipment. He wasn’t worried about wet bunk cushions as he has none, only a yoga mat to sleep on. Keri spent many hours evacuating the water and clearing the damage before returning to the race.
Jasmine Harrison, ( #88 Numbatou, UK ) the youngest skipper in the fleet, had her share of adventures. From battling sargassum seaweed that wrapped around her furling line to hand-steering through squalls, she proved she’s a force to be reckoned with.
Her bright pink spinnaker became a signature sight, and by the end of the leg, she had sailed 1,179 nautical miles, securing 11th place. Her arrival in Panama was met with cheers from the other skippers, who welcomed her with open arms and, presumably, a cold drink.
Mike Blenkinsop ( #99 Delja99, AUS) affectionately called POPEYE is not the racing type with an Aussie barbie and electric scooter onboard, but he is not trying to go slow either. In a fit of enthusiasm and keeping up with the fleet, decided to hand steer with full main and A7 on a quartering breeze. He set himself up in the back corner of the cockpit on a short tether, as the sea was building past four meters and he could steer a straighter course than the hydrovane. All was well for the first hour but then a bigger than usual set came under him, fun at first but rolling off the back of it, he entered a deep trough before the next one overwhelmed the boat from bow to stern putting the mast nearly in the water and popeye laid backwards virtually underwater.
John “Blinky” Blenkinsop on Delja100 and Dan Turner on Immortal Game emerged as dark horses in the race. John, with his infectious enthusiasm and knack for storytelling, kept the fleet entertained with tales of pirate-scouting pigeons and green water sweeping his deck. Dan, meanwhile, had to face a disconnected forestay, that could not be fixed. The internal rigging screw inside his furling gear unscrewed! Fortunately the inner babystay kept the mast up. He could no longer use any headsails and completed the last few days with Main and spinnakers only! still managing a strong finish, proving that perseverance pays off.
As the fleet approached Panama, the competition heated up as much as the cabin temperature and strange smells below! The topic of conversation became Dark ships with no NAV lights? only AIS and increasing traffic. Renaud crossed the finish line first, completing the leg in 8 days, 18 hours, and 40 minutes. Once again the average speed for the 1200 miles was 5.68kts or 136 miles a day! Not bad for a semi displacement 19ft /5.8mtr ocean voyaging MINI! Keri Harris followed just five hours later, with Dan Turk close behind. The top four boats finished within 10 hours of each other, setting the stage for an incredibly tight race. Adam Waugh, who took a more northerly route to avoid adverse currents, sailed an impressive 1,232 nautical miles and arrived relaxed and in good spirits.
Just as the leaders were reaching the Panama finish line, The final entrant Gary Swindail ( #111 Question 2, AUS) was crossing the start line. Gary was a late starter after facing shipping delays from Australia, and was very excited to finally be racing having just days before finished his mandatory solo qualifying voyage. It was a slow start with light winds, but apart from missing family and friends all appeared ok. His ETA in Panama is 16th March.
Having won the McIntyre Globe 580 Transat and now the first leg of the McIntyre MGR, Renaud was in high spirits on crossing the finish line in the dark on the still waters inside the Panama breakwaters. As he dropped the mainsail and prepared to make for Shelterbay marina under a jib, he stepped from the deck down into the cockpit and slipped on a large flying fish. He crashed down hitting his back and then cracking his head seeing stars.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the McIntyre MGR is the sense of camaraderie among the skippers. Despite the competition, they’ve formed a tight-knit community, supporting each other through challenges and pooling various skill sets during stopovers to keep the show on the road and celebrating each other’s successes.
With Leg One complete, the fleet is now preparing for Leg Two – a mammoth 6,700-nautical-mile journey to VUDA MARINA, Fiji via the Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, and Tonga with only 23 days allowed for stopovers. The skippers will face new challenges, from navigating the doldrums to crossing the vast Pacific Ocean. But if the first leg is anything to go by, they’ll tackle it with skill, determination, and a healthy dose of humor.
But first they are bound for the warm waters of the Pacific, overland!. Too small for the Panama canal, two trailers have been modified to carry the ALMA Globe 580s, the 100KM across the isthmus one at a time. The clock is running, and start day is now set back one day for 24 March.
The McIntyre Mini Globe Race is a world first event and has never been attempted by Mini Ocean racers. The course around the world celebrates the 75th Anniversary and follows in the footsteps of John Guzzwell, who in 1955 set off in his home built 20ft timber yacht TREKKA to become the first ever “Mini Yacht” to sail around the world.
