For its competitive debut, the new DMG MORI Global One is taking on a major challenge opening a new chapter for the DMG MORI SAILING TEAM: The Ocean Race Atlantic, a sprint from New York to Lorient that will pit it against five boats from different generations, sailed by seasoned racers from all over the world.

It's a chance for the new international crew with Japanese sailor Kojiro Shiraishi, alongside Frenchman Nicolas Lunven, British sailor Samantha Davies, young Japanese sailor Arisa Moriya (the first Asian woman to start such a race), and onboard reporter Anne Beaugé. The goal: to begin revealing the full potential of this new Verdier design, with its highly innovative hull.

Barely two months after being launched, the new IMOCA DMG MORI Global One will set off from New York on Tuesday, September 1st, for a North Atlantic crossing to Lorient, France, in the first edition of The Ocean Race Atlantic. It's a "perfect real-world test ahead of the fully crewed round-the-world race departing in January, which is the ultimate goal of more than two years of work on this new boat," notes the Japanese skipper. He is a two-time Vendée Globe finisher, but who will be making his crewed IMOCA debut here.

"A great sparring partner"

Driven by North Atlantic low-pressure systems, the DMG MORI Global One crew will take their first competitive tacks and begin, over more than 3,000 miles, the intense work of fine-tuning such a racing prototype. "The goal is to learn and improve together. To see our strengths and weaknesses with total clarity," confirms the experienced Samantha Davies, who is especially "excited about this new challenge, with an extraordinary team."

"We've just spent a month together, between the delivery sail over and three weeks of intense work to prepare the boat as well as possible," notes the British sailor, a four-time Vendée Globe competitor who will tackle her third crewed round-the-world race next year. "It's an incredible opportunity to work in these conditions, with such a tight-knit team that listens closely to every sensation and piece of feedback. It leaves a lot of room for new ideas, and it's a real joy for a sailor to help develop a boat like this, one that's contributing to the evolution of the IMOCA class! Personally, it forces you to rethink all your instincts and to listen to your feel while also thinking like an engineer about how the boat behaves. Sometimes you have to do the opposite of what you're used to in order to trim it properly. It's fascinating!"

After a high-speed transatlantic delivery run to the United States, the crew’s feedback is very positive. "This boat seems like a great sparring partner," says Nicolas Lunven with a smile. He is the recent winner of his third Solitaire du Figaro, after finishing 6th in the 2024 Vendée Globe. "It inspires confidence, the build quality is extremely solid, it handles very cleanly, and it goes through waves more smoothly than other IMOCAs. There's a lot to be positive about. We get the sense it's quite easy downwind, so we can't wait to put all that to the test on the water against real competitors!"

 

© anne BEAUGE

Two new-generation IMOCAs on the start line

The competitive debut of this latest Guillaume Verdier-designed IMOCA will of course be closely watched, especially since another next-generation boat, Boris Herrmann's Malizia 4, will also be on the start line of The Ocean Race Atlantic! The fleet's two newcomers should get the chance to measure themselves against established names on the IMOCA circuit, such as Paul Meilhat's boat, winner of The Ocean Race Europe in 2025; Francesca Clapcich's 11th Hour; and Oliver Heer's slightly older-generation but very well-prepared IMOCA, following four years in the hands of Swiss sailor Justine Mettraux.

"The competition promises to be incredible," says Kojiro Shiraishi, with the first IMOCAs expected in Lorient, DMG MORI Global One's home port, around September 8th. "Our crew is already exceeding my expectations. I can feel the unity building, and I'm learning from them every day. There's so much intelligence and attentiveness among everyone on the team, and that gives us the confidence to let the boat fly and go after performance."

That feeling is shared by the youngest crew member, 30-year-old Arisa Moriya, a rising star of Japanese sailing who will make her IMOCA competitive debut in this race, which has enforced strict gender parity on board. "Kojiro, Sam, and Nicolas are of course extraordinary sailors, but also exceptional human beings. I feel incredibly lucky to have this opportunity to sail alongside them, and I want to make the most of every second to learn and give my very best," says the young sailor, whose dream is to take part in The Ocean Race in 2027.

 

© Benjamin.Sellier -

"Thankfully, the language of funny faces is universal!"

"On paper, the crew's composition might seem complicated: French, Japanese, an English woman deeply attached to her tea," Samantha Davies jokes. "But in reality, that's what makes this crew strong, because it means we take even more care with communication. And honestly, it's so loud on board an IMOCA that there's not much chance to talk anyway. Thankfully, sign language and funny faces are universal!"

That camaraderie is exactly what Anne Beaugé, the onboard reporter for this inaugural adventure, will be tasked with capturing. She previously covered The Ocean Race in 2023 and The Ocean Race Europe in 2025. "I can't wait to get back to this role! The Ocean Race is a race I love because you're fully part of the crew, even if you never touch the boat. The formats keep evolving, especially with live broadcasts and live drone footage, which is a real challenge in itself," notes the seasoned photographer, who will nonetheless be sailing her first-ever West-to-East transatlantic crossing. "The fleet is small, so each team can really stand out with its own character. I can't wait to discover the synergy that builds on board and to tell that story. Especially on this new boat, which sparks so much curiosity. We'll see how we bring the sea and the scenery to life from this fairly enclosed cockpit, but I can't wait to reunite with Nicolas and his sharp eye, Sam and her infectious joy at being at sea, and to get to know Kojiro and Arisa a bit more!"

For DMG MORI Global One, the North Atlantic crossing will of course be demanding and full of obstacles. But that's precisely what makes it essential. "This challenge will be a starting point," notes Nicolas Lunven. "You don't rush a child who's growing up," adds Kojiro Shiraishi. "One step at a time while always aiming higher."

© anne BEAUGE