First Argentinian to complete the Mini Transat
Federico Norman is from Rosario, Santa Fe. In 2023, he became the first compatriot to finish the Mini Transat, placing11th/59th in the series aboardARG 1073 "Red Hot Mini Pepper", a Vector 6.50 series designed by Eric Bertrand, launched in 2022 under Polish flag.
The 2023 Mini Transat: fifteen days in a watery desert
Norman completed the crossing in two legs (16th in the first, 14th in the second) to finish 11th overall in the series fleet. He is the first Argentinian skipper to cross the finish line in this race. He describes it as a "fifteen-day crossing in a watery desert" — a Mini 6.50 format where sleep comes in 20-minute chunks, with no assistance and no external weather data.
A consistent 2023 season, from the Fastnet to the transat
The 2023 season encapsulates the bulk of his classemini achievements. He scoresa proto class victory at the Mini Fastnet in double-handed racing with Carlos Manera Pascual (on boat 1081, not his own), a 4th place in the Puru Transgascogne double-handed series with Miguel Angel Rondon Gonzalez (on boat 1006), and an 11th place in the Mini en Mai series. A full Atlantic season that served as a springboard toward the Transat.
ARG 1073: a Vector series boat, not a proto
The "Red Hot Mini Pepper" is a Vector 6.50 series boat designed by Eric Bertrand, launched in 2022 under Polish flag. Norman therefore raced in the category where all boats are identical on paper — performance hinges on preparation, personal routing, and sleep management. After 2023, the boat changed skipper (Nicolo Gamenara then Lodovica Genghini).
Achievements
- 2023 Mini Transat: 11th/59th in the series, aboard ARG 1073 (16th leg 1, 14th leg 2). First Argentinian to finish the race.
- 2023 Mini Fastnet: 1st/30th in the proto class, double-handed with Carlos Manera Pascual aboard boat 1081.
- 2023 Puru Transgascogne (double-handed): 4th/14th in the series, with Miguel Angel Rondon Gonzalez aboard 1006.
- 2023 Mini en Mai: 11th/73rd in the series, aboard ARG 1073.
- 2022 Mini Barcelona: 4th/19th in the series, aboard ARG 1073.
- 2022 Mare Nostrum (double-handed): 9th/24th in the series, with Manfredo Finck aboard ARG 1073.
