Irina Gracheva, Russian solo sailor and sponsee of Ullman Sails, is fulfilling her dream and two years of intensive, challenging training. Irina shares her highs and lows of facing the Mini-Transat race.

First some information about this flagship race.

The Mini-Transat Race

The Mini-Transat Race was founded in 1977 by sailor Bob Salmon in the UK and has been challenging solo sailors for over 40 years. The race takes place every 2 years.

The starting point was moved to France in 1985 and ends in the Caribbean with an intermediate finish in the Canary Islands. The Mini-Transat is a solo race and it is this isolation for many days that makes this spectacular race world famous.

The Mini-Transat is an International Race

More than 80 skippers from countries all over the globe compete in the Mini-Transat. People of all ages, social classes and with different maritime experience come together to make their dreams come true.

First of all, skippers must be good navigators, but not only this: they must also be well versed in meteorology and be able to prepare the yacht technically. They must be strong and have endurance. In the Mini-Transat race they will sleep no more than 20 minutes in a row for dozens of days.

It takes a tough person to sail more than 4,000 miles and about a month, face to face with the ocean, on yachts only 6.5 meters long!

Class MINI 6.5

Class Mini 6.5 boats are real little “rockets” capable of overcoming a lot. The pinnacle for this class is racing the Mini-Transat – such a little yacht crossing the ocean!

The emphasis of the race is primarily the ability of the sailor to work with sails, independently analyze weather and navigate with a minimum number of technical devices. So, while racing, any chart plotters are prohibited, as well as any equipment capable of analyzing the forecast and automatically recommending courses. Any connection with the shore is prohibited, including the usage of satellite phones. This is a race that will sort the ‘men from the boys’, or in this case, the ‘women from the girls’ as Irina takes up this challenge.

Irina’s Class-Mini 6.5 in all its glory fitted with Ullman Sails

Irina’s personal journey for the Mini-Transat

In the words of Irina: My decision to sail the Mini-Transat in the beginning stages seemed impracticable. I knew it would be a great adventure, but it was not an easy decision to make.

Ahead of me I had two years of training, races and qualifications to achieve. I did not know what difficulties I would encounter. I did not think that in the process I would have to master so many professions (to become not only a sailor and navigator, but also a project manager, media manager and reporter). For the first time I was going to be alone with my yacht, in a foreign country, with a distant goal and vague plan of action. However, I was full of energy and enthusiasm. I expected that for the first year I would talk about the project and attract partners. For the second year I thought I would start training and participate in races together with someone a little more experienced. How wrong I was!

The first year

In the first year I did a great job of finding sponsors, such as Ullman Sails, and promoting myself. I delved deeply into the documents of the Mini class and the Mini-Transat race and realized that there was no time for leisurely preparation and gradual training. I must act immediately!

This became a 2-year marathon – a cycle of events, disappointments and joys.

My fears

I definitely have fears, but I tell myself that fear is a product of uncertainty and lack of information. Having prepared the boat myself, going through fire (and water) with it and adjusting to different conditions, the fear recedes a bit. I have found though that fear pushes me forward, which forces me to gather my will over and over again. This is what helps me to get out of bed in the morning, monitor the settings of the sails all night, to fly under the spinnaker into the darkness in a strong wind.

I was not always sure that I could get through all this. I shed so many tears that they could flood my small boat and sink her! Fortunately, the Mini class boats are made unsinkable, and my ‘Cachaca’ will remain afloat!

At sea it’s more simple

At sea, everything is a bit easier. I have done my best to prepare and my task is to make everything as safe as I can and prevent fatal mistakes. There is nothing to distract me outside of the race, it’s only me, my boat and the ocean. Hour after hour, day after day, week after week I become one with my yacht, feel her, hear her. Together with her, I am trying to find a connection with the ocean and the wind.

So what is all this for?

At first, the goal seemed to be the Mini-Transat, however, it is now obvious that the real value and reward is the path – the path that has been traveled in these 2 years. Every failure made me stronger. Each problem eventually led to my life becoming wonderful. For two years I have lived more than one life, and this experience will remain with me forever. My dream has come true! I have come a long way and will start my Mini-Transat race in a few days (2019/09/22). I am a happy person who has already been able to see, understand and feel more than I expected. And I want something like this to happen in everyone’s life, after which the person can confidently say that their dreams have come true.

Good luck Irina! Ullman Sails is grateful to be a part of your dreams!