20 days until the start of the transatlantic regatta
In 20 days, Milan Koláček will set sail on an ocean adventure. He will have a 7,000 km (3,800 mile) journey ahead of him. He will start in Concarneau, Brittany, and finish on the Caribbean island of St. Barth. Twenty days of battling the ocean. Twenty days in which only speed and the related direction and strength of the wind will matter.
The greatest enemy
What is the greatest enemy of a competitive yachtsman? Many think it is a storm. Not at all. The opposite of a storm is enemy number one. And the opposite is calm. Competitors curse moments without wind. They search for the slightest breeze, looking for a way out of the calm. Calm weather is not a time to rest, as it might seem, but a time when attention is most needed. Calm weather is stressful and keeps you busy. You still have to work with the sails.
Storm
However, Milan and Pierre Brasseau (Milan's co-skipper) are much more likely to battle stormy weather. The race starts on April 3. The weather on the Atlantic is harsh and unpredictable. Both are well prepared for this alternative. Last week, the pair trained at sea in winds of 35–45 knots, or approximately 85 km/h. In such conditions, it is forbidden to go out in the mountains. Milan's court photographer, Pavel Nesvadba, was also at sea with them and managed to capture the stormy moments during training.
First race
Before the start of the Transat, Milan and Pierre will have the opportunity to measure their strength against their rivals. On March 17, the Solo Concarneau regatta will start in Concarneau. Milan Koláček and Pierre Brasseur will compete against 30 rivals. The race route will be a tough nut to crack. It will take them west of Brittany, around the famous Ar Men lighthouse to the island of Ouessant, where round-the-world records are set. Then south through the dreaded Raz de Sein strait and on to the island of Ile d'Yeu in the depths of the Bay of Biscay and back.
Training and preparation are in full swing
Training on the water almost every day. This is what preparation for the Atlantic race looks like. When not out on the water, there are specialist lectures on the program. First aid at sea, meteorology, safety, rescue operations... Everything must be mastered. The remaining time is spent fine-tuning the equipment on board, ropes, sails, electronics, safety equipment. Everything must be first-class. There will be no room for mistakes during the regatta.
Lorient – the largest base in the world
The port of Lorient was the largest Nazi submarine base during World War II. Massive Allied air raids attempted to wipe the fortified docks off the map, but they failed. The five-meter-high concrete ceilings withstood even the most powerful air raids.
After many years as a devastated part of the city, the former submarine port has become the largest ocean yachting base in the world. Milan Koláček, among many others, is based here. Anyone who wants to make a name for themselves in ocean yachting must go to France, and preferably here.
Milan Koláček has been living and training here in recent years. Only here is he able to catch up with the best solo sailors in the world, keep pace with them, and eventually even overtake them. Just as he did once before in the Classe Mini class, where he celebrated victory in 2012.
Now he has a few days left at his home base before moving to the starting point of the Transat AG2R. There, demanding checks of the boat and safety equipment await him. Ten days before the start of such a race, the adrenaline level in the competitors' blood is already rising, they are studying long-term weather forecasts and trying to prepare the ideal route for the first week of the regatta. The first days after the start will be the most demanding, with the stormiest weather expected. The start of the regatta will indicate how the race will develop in the following days.
Pierre Brasseur
Milan will line up at the start alongside Pierre Brasseur, whom he has known since they both competed in Classe Mini. Last year, Pierre achieved his greatest success to date, winning the Transat Jacques Vabre race in the Class 40 class alongside Yannick Bestaven. Pierre has already completed six Atlantic regattas and will be a valuable source of experience for Milan. Even the best have to keep learning in offshore yachting.
Our chances
It is difficult to predict the chances of the pair sailing under the Czech flag. However, Milan has always aimed high, and this is no different now: "It will be a very difficult race. Also because we are basically newcomers at the start. But we have never given up and we will not start now. Our goal is to finish in the first half of the starting field. And if luck smiles on us, then...
MORIS design is a proud partner of Milan Koláček
Photo Pavel Nesvadba
