After nine days of sailing, setbacks, twists and turns, and shared experiences, Conrad Colman and his crew have crossed the finish line of the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Atlantic.

On board MSIG Europe, the New Zealand skipper and his four compatriots completed the crossing in 9 days, 7 hours and 40 minutes of racing, at the end of an adventure that was as demanding on the water as it was rewarding on a human level. Having set sail on September 2, Conrad Colman, Anna Marchant, Megan Thomson and Elie Pirnay brought their first participation in The Ocean Race Atlantic to a successful conclusion, aboard the only right-handed daggerboard boat entered in the race.

A RACE FOUGHT ALL THE WAY TO THE END


The team got their race off to an excellent start. During the opening hours, MSIG Europe remained in touch with the leaders, less than 50 miles behind the front-runners during the first day. But as the conditions intensified, the crew gradually lost ground to an exceptionally competitive fleet.

On board, the sailors also had to contend with several technical issues. A problem with the headsail furling system disrupted their progress on Friday, before the boom track was torn away on Sunday.

Midway through the crossing, as the sea state became particularly rough, Conrad Colman made no secret of his concern:

“The boat is struggling, and we’re being thrown around by the rough seas like we’re inside a washing machine. With the violent impacts on the rig, I’m worried we’re eventually going to break everything.” Despite these difficulties, the crew never gave up. Three days after the start, they even surprised the fleet by moving into third place in the “super sprint”, demonstrating their ability to compete against more powerful boats.
© Georgia Schofield


A human adventure

Beyond the sporting result, this inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Atlantic represented an opportunity for Conrad Colman to share his experience and pass on his knowledge.

The skipper chose to surround himself with a predominantly New Zealand crew, including Anna Marchant, Megan Thomson and Georgia Schofield, the latter joining the boat as OBR (On-Board Reporter). Just days before the start, Elie Pirnay, a versatile boat preparation specialist, joined the team to replace Aaron Hume-Merry, who was forced to withdraw after suffering an injury during the delivery.

For these crew members, the crossing was an introduction to offshore racing. On board, they were able to draw on Conrad’s experience while experiencing first-hand the reality of an IMOCA transatlantic race for the first time.

A mission of sharing and knowledge transfer that appears to have been thoroughly accomplished, judging by the smiles on the faces of the four sailors as they arrived back in the port of Lorient.