The following is a report of Marks thrilling finish posted by the organisers. 

It is very noteworthy that Mark sailed 3260 nm which is between 100 and 150nm more than many of his closest competitors. To do so and finish so well is testament to Marks perseverance and skill in achieving his ambitions. 

All of his efforts is only made possible by the superb support received from you all so bask in the reflected glory of this fantastic achievement 

Mark O’Connor: A Rough Start, A Sharp Final

Mark O’Connor’s Mini finished in match racing mode, taking the pleasure of winning ahead of Antoine Canivet by just 27 seconds. A colourful finale to finish on a high note, after 17 days at sea marked by a fine comeback and some intense moments, a solo crossing that the Irish skipper has been preparing for four years. This eagerly awaited meeting across the Atlantic has met all the expectations of the skipper of the Maxi Mini Skippy, who has not seen the time pass…

INTERVIEW

After 17 days at sea marked by a good comeback and a few intense moments – including a finish in match racing mode to cross the line – the skipper, who has been living in France for four years to prepare for the race. Between climbing the mast, throbbing calms and in the end the satisfaction of a break-free finish, he remembers above all the joy of having fulfilled this dream of crossing the ocean alone.

The line on the edge

“I experienced the finish with a little bit of pressure, but not too much. I was overtaken in Basse-Terre, and I said to myself: ‘This is not right, we must not give up!’ There was a little moment when I was able to push a little bit more and slide on the gusts.

A mast climb in the middle of the ocean

“I have just spent 17 days at sea, and I haven’t seen the time pass… I enjoyed myself so much, happy to be alone on board. The beginning of the course didn’t go well for me: I started badly, and it was hard mentally. After the waypoint, I dived even further south and, inevitably, I lost more places in the rankings. It was very difficult, but gradually I found my rhythm, and when I hit the trade winds, it was just fun!

The boat was working well, I had zero breakages, except that I had to climb the mast because of a backstay problem. It was at a time when I didn’t have anyone on the AIS, right in the middle of the Atlantic. I couldn’t see anyone around, just the ocean in all its immensity: it was quite strong.

And if not, I had a winch that was seizing up a bit — I used a little olive oil, and it worked great! »

A comeback at the end

“In the second part of the race, I made a good comeback: I didn’t give up until the last moment. At the beginning, I didn’t set myself any particular goal, even if, in terms of performance, I’m a little disappointed. After the start, I got stuck in the calms of the Canary Islands. But I’m very happy to have moved up in the rankings. »

The Mini at all costs

“I prepared for the race between Lorient and Concarneau. Four years ago, I moved to France to set up a Mini project. I worked on the side, in the world of ocean racing: I was an electrician on an IMOCA in the Vendée Globe. The hardest part was managing both at the same time — the work and the DIY on my little boat. »

His race in numbers

20 – Heat (946) Mini Skippy – Mark O’connor
Finish: 10/11/2025 21:27:17 UTC
Race time: 16d 06h 27min 17s
Gap to the leader: 1d 06h 47min 53s
Gap to the previous one: 01h 24min 33s
On the ortho: 2606.38 nm / 6.7 knots
On the bottom: 3260.66 nm / 8.4 knots

 

Kind Regards

 

Seán Doyle