A new and significant regatta for the Mini 6.50 Class will debut in the Mediterranean in 2022, setting sail from our Marina on April 5. It will consist of over 800 solo miles, and participation provides the necessary miles to qualify for the Les Sables – Azores regatta, the most important event on the 2022 mini calendar in the Atlantic.
The Solo Med will take place around Barcelona, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community. The proposed route will be divided into two races. The first, a Category C race of 160 miles, will depart from Barcelona heading for Sa Ràpita, on the east coast of Mallorca. The second race, a Category B event, covers a 650-mile course between the Balearic Islands, Tabarca Island, the Balearic Islands again, and back to Barcelona, leaving the Columbretes Islands to starboard. This two-race format allows participants who do not have a Category C race on their record to compete in both, thereby gaining access to the Category B race to accumulate more miles.
Once again, Marina Vela Barcelona is providing moorings and the use of its facilities to the fleet, which is expected to be larger than last year’s for the FNOB Mini Base Regatta. Under a joint agreement with FNOB, the Barcelona Mini Base fleet uses our facilities for training on alternate weekends.
At Marina Vela Barcelona, our strategic objective has always been to collaborate in the promotion of ocean sailing, thereby helping to consolidate Barcelona as the largest training center for the MINI 6.50 class in the Mediterranean.
After the first 160-mile race, starting at Marina Vela Barcelona and finishing in Sa Ràpita, the fleet will prepare in the Mallorcan port for the second, much longer and more technical race. The start of the second race from Sa Ràpita will take place on Sunday, April 10, at 12:00 PM, which suggests a high turnout of local spectators. Following the proposed route, the first Minis in the PROTO category are expected to arrive in Barcelona around April 17, depending on weather conditions.
The FNOB’s IMOCA School will, once again, handle the duties of the support vessel, ensuring the safety of the fleet throughout the entire course. The IMOCA School carries a satellite communication system on board for emergencies.
To ensure tracking of the entire fleet, vessels will carry a tracker on board with a transmission frequency of every 30 minutes. In addition to providing safety for participants, this system will allow the progress of the regatta and the rankings to be followed in real time on the regatta website.
The format and number of miles, which facilitates participation in Les Sables – Azores – Les Sables and provides access to a Category B race for sailors with relatively less experience in a safe environment, makes it possible to aim for more than 20 boats at the start on April 5.
Program
- April 1 to 4: Participant Registration – Safety Checks
- April 4, 7:00 PM: Skippers’ Briefing
- April 5, 9:30 AM: Start of towing
- April 5, 12:00 PM: Race 1 Start
- April 8, 7:00 PM: Race 1 Awards Ceremony in Sa Ràpita
- April 9, 7:00 PM: Race 2 Skippers’ Briefing
- April 10, 9:30 AM: Start of towing for Race 2
- April 10, 12:00 PM: Race 2 Start
- April 18, 6:00 PM: Awards Ceremony in Barcelona
+INFO: https://www.fnob.org/
