The Mini class was conceived to promote relatively affordable solo offshore sailing. The first Mini Transat took place in 1977 and subsequently have been staged bi-annually, the course for the 2005 race is from La Rochelle to Lanzarotte and Lanzarotte to Salvador in Brazil (4500nm in total).

Over recent years the class has evolved into a breeding ground for professional ocean racers. The 21ft (yes that's twenty-one feet!) turbo charged canting keel rockets have only a few design restrictions such as maximum length, beam, draft and mast height. Virtually all of the current Open 60 sailors came through the Mini class.

The size on the boat relates to the initial concept of the race created by Bob Salomon in 1977. The idea was to create an affordable solo trans-Atlantic race, in comparison to such races as the OSTAR.

The last route sailed was from La Rochelle, France to the Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and then to Bahia in Brazil.