Having recently been entrusted by the Mini 6.50 class with the organization of the next two editions of the Mini Transat, in 2023 then in 2025, the Versace Sailing Management company is today particularly happy and proud to announce that La Boulangère, a French manufacturer of pre-packaged breads and pastries, has chosen to associate its name with what remains the most atypical of the great ocean races and which is therefore now called "La Boulangère Mini Transat".
A solo event, without assistance and without modern means of communication, the Mini Transat is definitely an atypical event in the world of ocean racing. Since its creation by Bob Salmon, in 1977, with the aim of reconnecting with the adventurous spirit of the first transatlantic races, it attracts more and more men and women every year wishing to live a unique experience of a human dimension. A success which is something to delight Emmanuel Versace, CEO and founder of Versace Sailing Management, to whom the Mini 6.50 class entrusted the helm of the event last December, but also Christophe Aillet, Managing Director of La Boulangère, who therefore becomes a title event partner.
The History of Offshore Racing is written in Les Sables d'Olonne
"Marc Chopin's benevolent and passionate spirit watches over this Mini-Transat. We think of him, who passed away too quickly. He who has invested body and soul to share his love of sailing and for the Mini-Transat to start from Les Sables d'Olonne. And he was right! It is obvious for our port to welcome this breeding ground for tomorrow's offshore racing champions. The future Kirsten Neuschäfer, the future Jean-Luc Van Den Heede... are probably in this pool of 90 intrepid sailors, who are preparing to cross the Atlantic aboard the smallest offshore racing boats. Mini-Transat, but Great Adventure. The last edition was thrilling: a huge storm, a skipper attacked by an orca, a grounding... and then a volcano that exploded and covered the boats with ashes... A wind of adventure that took us on board.
I am happy to welcome "La Boulangère" on board. It is a source of pride to team up with a great Vendée company. Thank you for this commitment, thank you for this support that will carry our double heart across the oceans". Yannick Moreau, Mayor of Les Sables d'Olonne
Their common ambition? Continue to make this race, an adventure like no other between Les Sables d'Olonne and Saint-François (Guadeloupe), with a stopover in Santa-Cruz de la Palma (Canary Islands). "Since its creation 46 years ago, the Mini Transat has stood the test of time and our role, as organizers, is to reveal it to the public in a contemporary way. This is why, with the precious support of La Boulangère, we want to innovate for this 24th edition," announces Emmanuel Versace. "We are very happy to continue the story with this legendary race, which will start in Vendée, the territory where we are historically established. La Boulangère and sailing is a long-standing adventure. The open sea offers us a magnificent lesson in humility and invites us to think differently about the horizon. A state of mind that La Boulangère completely shares, as Title Partner of the next two editions of the Mini Transat!", adds Christophe Aillet.
"La Boulangère Mini Transat", the passion for adventure and more
Both have understood it, and for a long time: the Mini Transat is much more than a regatta. "It is the adventurous soul of ocean racing. Without any technological aid, on boats barely 6.50 meters long, these men and women decided to make a 7,500 km crossing of the vast Atlantic Ocean. Although alone and without means of communication - except a VHF - they will not be alone. They can count on each because the Mini spirit is not a legend. It's an unparalleled camaraderie built on a personal challenge shared by all", explains the organizer. In fact, whether it is the fulfillment of a dream, the adventure of a lifetime, a sporting challenge or an initiatory journey, the Mini Transat invites everyone to rediscover the basics with humility. "If adventure is the fundamental characteristic of the Mini Transat, it also mobilizes the values of performance, self-transcendence and solidarity which correspond to us and are dear to us", emphasizes Emmanuel Versace, recalling also that it is a true "laboratory" for ocean racing and it has always allowed experimentation, imagining and perfecting new technologies. Ballast, carbon mast, canting keel, round bow... in Mini, everything is invented, created and lavish. A DNA shared by La Boulangère, culturally innovative and a pioneer in organic products, which it has been defending since 2001 through a wide range of products and concrete commitments in favor of the ecological and food transition.
The next dates to remember are July 31st for the final announcement of the entry list for this 24th edition. The start of La Boulangère Mini Transat will take place on September 24th in Les Sables d'Olonne.