Since 2012 , ALSOLU , sponsors the skipper Ian LIPINKSI .

Ian Lipinski ran in the series category which was the most played on the 2013 edition of the Mini Transat .

Ian was leading the race when his boat was dismasted . Unable to repair it , he had pressed his distress beacon so prevent race organizers .
It was then picked up by a freighter and is currently heading towards Gibraltar .

Below is the full story written by Ian capsize :

“24 hours have passed since I boarded the Polish freighter crew . With my name of Polish origin, I am treated like a king and spend my time between a luxury car compared to my late mini 6.50 and the cockpit. And I continue to sail a little , but in a direction other than the Guadeloupe !
What a shame and what a waste , after all the waiting and preparation, and that would have to abandon the race and my little boat I bichonnais two years. Before being recovered by the ship , I watched all the material floating around me and wanted to recover all … but I could not board the freighter with my passport!
The race started off well started for me as I was leaving the Bay of A Coruña head series boats , and alongside with the fastest like skippered by Gwenolé Gahinet , Bertrand Julien sprayer Delesnes or prototypes . So I was really in the game. As a precaution, when we had to jibe in the afternoon , I decided to haul down the spinnaker ( code 5 ) to operate more calmly. I get so caught up by the friends who talonnaient me , but the road is long and the goal is to spend this night looks sporty. I refer the spinnaker once the maneuver is complete, and then sailed alongside with Renaud Mary who managed the jibe the spinnaker without slouching , which has taken me two short miles I had on him. It must be said that the spinnaker we will very, very quickly , constantly between 11 and 16 kts ! I know that the wind is up and he’ll have to haul down the spinnaker in time … When I finally decided to slouch , the wind was already blowing 28 kts established , with some gusts. I hardly get up the helm to try to slouch , the boat leaves the heap and sets . I try to slouch , but it’s too late. The tack of the spinnaker , I loose not blow my bowsprit , file and gets stuck at the bow . I hurry , with a knife , to go to the front of the boat that is lying in the horizontal releases the tack that threatens to break the bowsprit as the spinnaker slap extremely violently in the wind continues mount . I pay attention because moving on board is tricky! The tack released, the boat is lying because listening spun big and spinnaker flying and fighting in the sky . I then try to release the halyard may be right the ship and return to the road in the direction of the wind and reduce the apparent wind … Error ! The spinnaker hand further away from the boat, and I see flying and snapping like a kite to several tens of meters from the boat . What to do? I can not bring myself to cut the halyard because it is the beginning of the race and I must hurry to find a solution before the boat dismasted , as are violent shaking , and tensions in the ends that hold the enormous spinnaker .
I would have kept a lot of the spinnaker so long but we must act quickly. I decided to try to bring my kite fiery boat and begins to bring the halyard winch … it is laborious and exhausting. I have to pee but there is urgency to save the sail and mast … (you can imagine the rest is not very glamorous , anyway I was already soaked! ) Once the halyard recovery largely , I winche on listening and managed to bring the spinnaker boat , which is still lying at 50 degrees right . Once the listening point at hand , I release the halyard again but am unable to retrieve the spinnaker hand and water trawls , as they say in the jargon. Here I am with the fabric lying around in the water, not to bring on board. I decided to haul down all the sails : the mainsail and solent , to reduce the windage of the boat and slow drift . It was then that I managed to get my spinnaker. Phew, I lost 45 minutes , but everything is intact and I can resume my journey after sending some mainsail and solent . I’m flush with Clement and Justine Bouyssou Mettreaux … Okay, I’m still in the game , but what nonsense!
The night begins and everyone backed off . Yet a steeper than other wave drags me in a spectacular surf that ends with a garden as I had never done : the stern rises above the bow and then falls to the side. I projected in the wind and falls into the water on the right side of the tracks. Yet phew, scare that cost me a broken tiller and a hundred liters of water projected inside and that I must suffer. This is also a good site inside because all the material matossé to the rear end of the boat is now at the front … several boxes of food have exploded , a nice mess … It is in any case a good warning and I sail now closed for the rest of the night door.
I feel the wind down a bit and is reluctant to return a reef in the mainsail. But I remember the planted early night and decided to stay good and be able to rest every ten minutes. After the fifth or sixth nap sandwiched moments at the bar, and then I just opened the door to go outside , the boat accelerates in a surf much faster than others. I instinctively stand at the opening of the door. I feel the boat very quickly from the cottage . But it s not stop it as usual in its rolling movement , however, the movement is accelerated , and in less than one second vessel started in reverse. Inside my legs passing over the head knocking against the hull and ringing me . At the same time , I feel the water rush instantly inside and here I am in a large bath with 50 cm of air to breathe and a hell of a mess . Few seconds to regain my senses . The situation is bad but not hopeless. I know that the vessel has sufficient buoyancy to prevent sinking. That’s the theory, but I quickly comforted by the water level stabilizes. To breathe it should go, then I think the cold. Because it is not yet in the Caribbean ! We have on board a very thick wetsuit , survival . I find in the dark and managed to thread it . It warms me quickly. But the boat is still upside down , and I decided to record my thanks to capsize the beacon that works via a satellite. I ‘ ve never triggered in my life, it’s a little strange … I am no more distraught than that: I didn ‘ feel too cool to me , the boat is still upside down but I breathe … all is finally well enough. I do not allow myself to think about the race that stops so abruptly , but think of Mary, our baby being my family . No way to die , it’ll be okay. I imagine the distress signal from the beacon of work, and at worst the race organization will seek to understand why all of a sudden my boat no longer advance and emits more AIS position. .. it therefore I must wait. I have water to drink and even food for three weeks … no need to look for , everything floats at your fingertips ! 45-60 minutes after the capsize , the boat finally returns . I can, through my mobile VHF emergency call Eric Cochet, which was three miles behind me before capsizing . By chance , he heard me , what comforts me . I explain the situation that can bring the escort boat . It offers me to turn around to come near me , but I refuse , knowing that he can not really do anything, and it is very uncomfortable, even dangerous , to return to him the wind and sea ​​then I want to multiply the means to report my capsize : I run a mayday with my laptop vhf which I receive no answer. Then I draw a flare should still be well into the night which is always present .
I begin to try to empty the boat with buckets. The level drops back but as soon as I stop … Yet I have not identified any significant way to water? I think one of two plush taken on board, and goes in search of the second . I feel so less alone , but unfortunately I can not find my small coconut following me for thirty- two years …
Finally, around 8:30 UT, a cargo arrives at the horizon. I imagine the difficulty for him to spot me in waves 4m … I trigger a flare ( I learned later that this is what fire hand that has enabled me to locate me ) . This first cargo tells me , passing by another cargo that arrives behind . I understand that it’s about this other cargo that I will be recovered.
Having heard other stories of rescue cargo , I know that all is not played and the most dangerous may be coming . I also know that we will have to climb a rope ladder along the hull of the cargo , and with the waves it can be difficult. So I decided to take my survival suit in which I do not feel comfortable acrobatics .
Finally , I just a big scare when the rear cargo arises and I feel go under the rear arch that is raised by the swell. But falling , cargo broke my boat without crushing me so far . I do not dare go out on the deck for fear of eject me by shock . The cargo back and I drift downwind of the cargo where the sea fades significantly. The crew sends me moorings that I stuck on my winches . My boat is well stabilized and scale installed along the hull. It goes up , it goes down , you have to find the right timing to enter the top of the wave, and especially, especially not to fall into the water! At the third attempt , I succeeded and rises rapidly at the top , you win!
Very quickly , I use the VHF cargo to wish good luck to my friends who continue the race and where we go next . I even managed to see for yourself …
Home impeccable by the Polish master . I spend my time on the bridge where I can go on and a little browsing. We’ll go Gibraltar tonight , it will be a first for me , and it should be okay !
The MiniTransat can count on me to come back, just a little time to get over this story and it will establish a new plan of attack !
Greetings to all, ”
ian

ALSOLU is more than ever behind Ian and support in 2014 for its new season.

For the latest and the golf Ian Lipinski : www.ianlipinski.com