And then there were 12…Leg 3 of the Mini Globe Race underway

Katy Stickland

Following three retirements, 12 Mini Globe Race skippers crossed the start line of Leg 3 for a 10,000 mile race from Fiji to Cape Town

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Leg 3 of the Mini Globe Race is one of the toughest legs of the 24,000-mile circumnavigation, with the solo skippers sailing their 19ft boats across the Pacific from Fiji to Cape Town.

Out of the 15 entrants who started, three of them have now retired.

Mike Blenkinsop, aboard the Globe 5.80, 99 Delja 99, and his son John Blenkinsop, who was racing aboard Delja 100, have dropped out of the race, having failed to secure a sponsor to cover racing in the remaining two legs.

Canadian Dan Turk, who was in fifth place after finishing Leg 2, has also been forced to retire due to health concerns.

A traditional Davui conch shell was blown to signal the start of the Mini Globe Race Leg 3. Credit: Aïda Valceanu

A traditional Davui conch shell was blown to signal the start of the Mini Globe Race Leg 3. Credit: Aïda Valceanu

The remaining 12 skippers crossed the start line outside Vuda Marina in Fiji, jostling tightly close to the line while waiting for the sound of the conch shell, which signalled the start.

Once clear of the lagoon and reefs, the skippers were tested on their first night, with messy, short seas and 20-30 knot easterly winds.

Gary Swindall, aboard Question Two, described the first night as “pretty rough” and was thrown from his bunk due to the conditions.

“The wind got pretty strong; I had three reefs (in the mainsail) and a bit of jib up. It was a bouncy night. I got tossed out of my bunk once and landed on my kettle, which was on the floor; it has now got a dent in it, but I can still make a cup of tea. The boat also got hit by big waves, and things were flying across the cabin,” he said.

Conditions settled down, and the fleet began navigating towards their first major obstacle: the Great Barrier Reef, 1,800 miles to the northwest.

Windvane self-steering problems dogged British skipper Jasmine Harrison, resulting in her hand-steering for two sleepless nights.

Having spent time “hanging over the side”, she diagnosed the problem as incorrect Hydrovane installation; the lower mounts were tightened too far, jamming the rudder.

“The steering is sorted out now, I think. It seems to be working. I am happy,” she said. “I could push it, but I am plodding along at 3 knots and I am quite happy. Life is good.”

A man sitting on a boat preparing for Mini Globe Race Leg 3

Every entrant had to undergo a detailed safety inspection of all equipment and systems. The Globe 5.80 is as close as you can get to World Sailing category 0 as is possible. Credit: JJ/MGR2025

Gear problems have also plagued German Christian Sauer, who has a broken electric tiller pilot and is experiencing sluggish performance on Argo.

“This is the third time the tiller pilot has broken: once was an electrical problem which I solved off Galapagos, the second time was on the way to Fiji when the whole unit came apart, and now there is a mechanical problem, and it is not working at all. I do have a spare unit, but these small tiller pilots are not meant to withstand what we are doing [operate in the conditions the fleet is sailing in],” he said.

His windvane steering is working, but it is not performing effectively. Sauer suspects it is due to improper weight distribution on Argo.

“It’s like driving with the handbrake on,” he said.

“This may be the set-up of the rig, as I changed my standing rigging at the last minute and have not been able to test it [before the start]. I have the impression that my boat is out of balance. It may be how I packed the boat, and I will try and work on that to get a better set-up.”

Sauer is still sailing with shoulder ligament problems.

Boats moored on a pontoon

A 5-6 week stopover in Fiji allowed the skippers to prepare for the gruelling Leg 3. Credit: Don McIntyre/MGR2025

He is not the only Mini Globe Race skipper who is not on top form.

Jakub Ziemkiewicz aboard Bibi set sail with an infected ear from pre-race shark snorkelling, leaving him feeling slow and “off colour”. He is taking antibiotics and is determined to keep racing.

Others have experienced “heart-stopping” wildlife encounters.

British sailor Adam Waugh was surprised by an orca while adjusting his windvane.

“An orca visited and inspected Little Wren while I was leaning over the back of the boat, adjusting the windvane. It came from the deep water, coming straight at us. It stayed for around 15 minutes; thankfully, it wasn’t one of the Portuguese orcas known for attacking boat rudders. A few heart-stopping moments though!”

Meanwhile, the race at the front of the fleet is tight – with current race leader Renaud Stitelmann fighting to stay ahead of Australian Dan Turner, British skipper Keri Harris and Pilar Pasanau from Spain.

Leg 3 of the Mini Globe Race has six sections, with fixed pit-stops varying in length from 5 to 9 days.

Fiji to Thursday Island or Darwin (but not both), Cocos Keeling, Rodriguez island, Mauritius, Durban and finally Cape Town.

Sailing from Mauritius to Cape Town is by far the most challenging section of the entire circumnavigation, where the Southern Ocean lows will start making themselves felt. The south setting Agulhas current also collides head-on with south west to southerly Southern Ocean storms.

“This is where reputations will be made, or lost, and stories will be created,” said Mini Globe Race founder, Don McIntyre.

“These boats are tiny, but they are strong and their skippers are responsible risk takers and they are ready for the challenge.”

Results Leg 1 & Leg 2 combined:

Renaud Stitelmann, Capucinette, 65 days, 12 hours, 0 minutes, 12 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Dan Turner, Immortal Game, 67 days, 2 hours, 12 minutes, 1 second (corrected elapsed time)
Keri Harris, Origami, 69 days, 0 hours, 23 minutes, 49 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Pilar Pasanau, Peter Punk, 70 days, 1 hours, 29 minutes, 48 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Dan Turk, Little Bea, 70 days, 23 hours, 45 minutes, 33 seconds (corrected elapsed time) Now retired
Christian Sauer, Argo, 71 days, 17 hours, 24 minutes, 39 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Adam Waugh, Little Wren, 72 days, 6 hours, 21 minutes, 22 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Jakub Ziemkiewicz, Bibi, 73 days, 2 hours, 45 minutes, 18 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Eric Marsh, Sunbear, 74 days, 12 hours, 0 minutes, 26 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Ertan Beskardes, Trekka, 76 days, 13 hours, 4 minutes, 42 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Jasmine Harrison, Numbatou, 77 days, 8 hours, 15 minutes, 52 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Joshua Kali, Skookum, 80 days, 11 hours, 2 minutes, 7 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Gary Swindale, Question 2, 98 days, 17 hours, 29 minutes, 15 seconds (corrected elapsed time)
Mike Blenkinsop, Delja 99, DNF Leg 2
John Blenkinsop, Delja 100, DNF Leg 2

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