Leaders to Lorient

The Ocean Race Atlantic leaders begin their final push to Lorient, France.

Photography by The Ocean Race Atlantic

10 September 2026

Four teams remain in contention for victory in The Ocean Race Atlantic as the leading IMOCA fleet enters the final 500 nautical miles of the transatlantic race from New York to Lorient.

The leading group in The Ocean Race Atlantic is charging towards the French coast, with just 35 nautical miles separating the top four boats as the inaugural transatlantic event approaches its conclusion.

Kojiro Shiraishi’s DMG MORI Global One held the advantage on 9 September, reaching speeds close to 30 knots in southerly winds and flat-water conditions as the leaders began counting down the final 500 nm of their 3,000-nm passage from New York to Lorient.

The leading group closes in on Lorient as The Ocean Race Atlantic enters its final stages. Credit: PredictWind / The Ocean Race.

Oliver Heer’s Embrace the Challenge races across the Atlantic on the approach to Lorient. Credit: Paddy Condy / Embrace the Challenge / The Ocean Race.

DMG MORI Global One charges towards Lorient at the head of The Ocean Race Atlantic fleet. Credit: Anne Beaugé / DMG MORI Global One / The Ocean Race.

The Japanese entry’s earlier decision to position furthest south in the leading group appeared to be paying off, providing a favourable wind angle for the run towards the finish.

At 1200 UTC, DMG MORI Global One held a 10-nm advantage over Francesca Clapcich’s 11th Hour Racing, with Paul Meilhat’s United by the Ocean another 13 nm behind in third. Boris Herrmann’s Team Malizia, sailing furthest north, was fourth and 35 nm off the lead.

Despite the close racing, the atmosphere aboard the leader remained upbeat.

All is good on board,” Samantha Davies reported from DMG MORI Global One. “We have less than 500 miles to go and we are sending it fast with the J0.”

Davies said the crew knew there was little room for error with the chasing boats still close behind.

“It is really, really close, so we are going to have to push really hard – and that is what we are doing right now.”

Conditions were equally welcome aboard United by the Ocean, where the four-person crew had been taking turns on the helm after several days spent largely below deck because of the sea state.

The Team Malizia crew at work below deck during The Ocean Race Atlantic. Credit: Gauthier Lebec / Team Malizia / The Ocean Race.

Mariana Lobato aboard United by the Ocean as the team pushes towards the finish in Lorient. Credit: Marin Le Roux / United by the Ocean / The Ocean Race.

Ocean Live Park opens at La Base in Lorient as the city prepares to welcome The Ocean Race Atlantic fleet. Credit: The Ocean Race.

Portuguese co-skipper Mariana Lobato described the flatter water and stronger breeze as “champagne conditions”, with the sailors able to exploit the boat’s performance manually.

With all four leaders still capable of winning, outright boat speed and positioning were taking precedence over traditional match-racing tactics.

“It is not a control race right now,” skipper Paul Meilhat said. “It’s about taking the best angle to the finish line.”

Teammate Benjamin Ferré summed up the uncertainty: “Four boats can still win this race, with four different strategies.”

Lighter winds could compress fleet

The fast sailing was not expected to last all the way to Lorient. Forecasts indicated lighter winds close to the French coast, potentially compressing the leading group again and opening the door for another reshuffle before the finish.

“The wind is dropping ahead of us so the fleet will compress again before the finish,” DMG MORI Global One sailor Nico Lunven said.

“We might be leading now, but it could all change.”

The first boats were forecast to reach Lorient between 1400 and 2000 CEST on Thursday 10 September.

Further back, Oliver Heer’s fifth-placed Embrace the Challenge and Conrad Colman’s non-foiling MSIG Europe were positioned to take a more direct route towards Lorient.

Colman said MSIG Europe had been regaining miles on the newer foiling designs, including Embrace the Challenge.

Over the past couple of days we have been chomping into the lead of the boats ahead,” Colman said. “That’s a 2020-generation foiler – so in theory a lot faster than us – but we have been matching them boat-for-boat.”

Colman expected MSIG Europe to reach Lorient on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Team Malizia secured the overall Super Sprint series after topping the final sprint, its fourth victory from eight opportunities. DMG MORI Global One finished second in the series, while Team Francesca Clapcich powered by 11th Hour Racing took third.

Ocean Live Park has also opened at La Base in Lorient, with activities continuing through Sunday 13 September as the fleet arrives in France.

theoceanrace.com