Passing test for The Ocean Race

(September 10, 2026) – Paul Meilhat’s United by the Ocean (FRA) won the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Atlantic, completing the 3,300-nautical mile transatlantic course today in Lorient, France. Six IMOCA teams began September 2 from a virtual start line 145 miles offshore to reduce the risk of encounters with marine mammals and megafauna that frequent the coastal areas.

Soon after the start, the North Atlantic lived up to a forecast of demanding conditions that placed exceptional loads on the boat and significant physical demands on the crew. Skipper Boris Herrmann’s new Team Malizia (GER) jumped to an early lead, but then endured a port foil collision in which ram damage hindered progress. They finished fourth.

Meilhat and Francesca Clapcich’s 11th Hour Racing (USA) took over leadership, later joined by Kojiro Shiraishi’s new DMG MORI Global One (JPN). As winds lightened toward the finish, it was a neck-and-neck battle along the French coast between Meilhat and Clapcich, with the French entry winning by 8 minutes and 56 seconds.

The United by the Ocean crew completed the transatlantic course in seven days, 23 hours, 39 minutes, and 11 seconds. For Meilhat, this transatlantic victory comes on the back of his win in the same boat (then Biotherm) in last year’s – mainly light wind – edition of The Ocean Race Europe.

“The boat is not the latest [design],” he said. “It is fast, but we had some bad moments because it is not really fast in the big waves. Three days ago we had a really tough night in big waves in the wrong direction. But we know that in medium and light wind on flat water it is really, really fast. A lot of races finish in these conditions. We are a good team with this boat and that is working well.”

Per rules, each entry had two women, two men, and one On Board Reporter.

Race details – Tracker – How to watch

Results – The Ocean Race Atlantic
1. Paul Meilhat, United by the Ocean (FRA),
2. Francesca Clapcich, 11th Hour Racing (USA)
3. Kojiro Shiraishi, DMG MORI GLOBAL (JPN)
4. Boris Herrmann, Malizia 4 (GER)
5. Oliver Heer, Embrace the Challenge (SUI)
6. Conrad Colman, MSIG Europe (NZL)

Details: https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/home

The 15th edition of The Ocean Race around the world will start from Alicante, Spain on January 17, 2027. It will be the sixth consecutive time the race has started from this venue which is home for both Race HQ and The Ocean Race Museo.

Racing the IMOCA 60-footer, teams of four will include at least one female and comprise of at least two nations.

Race Route:
• Alicante, Spain (start)
• Auckland, New Zealand
• Itajaí, Brazil
• St. Petersburg, USA
• Cascais, Portugal
• Port Said, Egypt (tentative)
• AMAALA, Saudi Arabia (finish)

Source: The Ocean Race