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MSIG Europe was classified sixth on 12 September 2026, completing the fleet’s results in the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic from New York to Lorient. Conrad Colman’s crew brought the event to a close after a demanding crossing aboard its only non-foiling IMOCA.
A shortened course in light winds
With extremely light winds and an adverse tidal current preventing progress, the race committee finished MSIG Europe in place, approximately 15 nautical miles short of the original finish line. The official finish time was 07:40 UTC on 12 September. The sixth-place result therefore followed a shortened-course decision, rather than a crossing of the original line.
Colman sailed with Anna Marchant, Megan Thomson and Elie Pirnay, with Georgia Schofield as onboard reporter. Pirnay joined shortly before the start, replacing Aaron Hume-Merry after an injury during the delivery to New York.
An older IMOCA faces a foiling fleet
The Verdier-designed MSIG Europe was launched in 2007 and was the oldest boat in the race. Colman bought it in 2022 and knew the yacht well. Its conventional daggerboards, rather than lifting foils, put it at a disadvantage when conditions favoured the newer boats.
The crew initially stayed within 50 nautical miles of the leaders during the first day. As the weather intensified, the gap grew to more than 100 miles by Friday and as much as 400 miles on Sunday. A headsail furling problem and damage to the boom track added repair work to the demands of racing offshore.
A crew that kept recovering ground
Colman’s mid-race account described violent motion and concern about repeated loads on the rig. Yet there were competitive highlights: MSIG Europe took third in one Super Sprint and recovered some of its deficit to Embrace the Challenge in the closing days.
The crew’s arrival completed the six-boat event. United by the Ocean won ahead of Team Francesca Clapcich powered by 11th Hour Racing and DMG MORI Global One, with Team Malizia fourth and Embrace the Challenge fifth.
Final overall classification
| Place | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United by the Ocean | 6 |
| 2 | Team Francesca Clapcich powered by 11th Hour Racing | 5 |
| 3 | DMG MORI Global One | 4 |
| 4 | Team Malizia | 3 |
| 5 | Embrace the Challenge | 2 |
| 6 | MSIG Europe | 1 |
Read how the leaders settled the race in our report on United by the Ocean’s victory by 8 minutes 56 seconds, or revisit the 9 September bulletin with 500 miles still to sail.
Source: The Ocean Race press release of 12 September 2026. The Ocean Race Atlantic.
Cover photo: © Jean-Louis Carli / The Ocean Race.
