Stage 2: Track Terminal Leave in the Puru Challenge Race

Today at 1300 (Central European Summer Time), 0700 EST Terminal Leave started the second leg of the Puru Challenge Mini Gascogna Race. After a testing stage one of the Puru Challenge, Terminal Leave is ready for what the Bay of Biscay has in store in the coming days! Leaving Getxo, Spain Terminal Leave will sail approximately 190nm back to Port Bourgenay.

For a quick recap of Stage 1, see what Peter had to say about the testing leg and watch his video recap of stage one below;

2 d 20 hr 8 min

Finished at 0844 local time

“Happy to have completed this solo race in challenging conditions and thankful for the race organization for pulling it off during this difficult time in Europe with all the restrictions.

Unfortunately I did not finish as well as I know I should have but that won’t ever take away from the experience over here. Surviving a 30+ knot squall in the Bay of Biscay at night (~1 am) with pouring down rain and dodging other minis…these European sailors are tough and I’m proud to share the race course with each one of them.

The start of the race was not great so played catch up from the beginning.

From there after dodging dirty air, I managed to creep up and start passing boats. 1.25 nm upwind, 5 nm downwind, then 30 nm upwind….

The 250 nm leg to Getxo, Spain was starboard tack the whole way. I should have gone farther east like my original plan called for….reach SE then SW.

Then the bow sprit support strut broke a few minutes after putting up my fractional A3 spinnaker that morning after the storm. That forced me to sail with main and jib alone until I made a temporary fix…bringing me right on rhumb line and crossing it to the west.

From there it was a run downwind with the big A2 spinnaker….till the wind died at night and pouring rain.

The final reach into Getxo with the code 0 in 15-20 kts of wind was awesome. Makes up for the tired, wet, and exhausted feelings.

Proud to be the only American sailor in this race of 71 boats and represent US Patriot Sailing!

Thank you to the Puru Challenge Race organizers and Classe Mini class for getting us through stage 1 of the race.

Thank you to my sponsors for making this all possible: Fawcett Boat Supplies, Switlik Survival Products, Gill Marine, New England Ropes, Yankee Marine, Harken, Great Clips

And finally thank you to everyone who has donated!!! It takes a lot of resources to get on the race course.”

Click here to track Terminal Leave on Stage Two!

Submitted by Jane Millman.