Team Malizia leads inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic

Team Malizia, skippered by Boris Herrmann, has taken an early lead in the inaugural edition of The Ocean Race Atlantic. Sailing the brand-new, foil-equipped Malizia 4, the team secured a position at the front of the six-boat IMOCA fleet following the first night of racing.

The start, which took place approximately 150 nautical miles off the coast of New York, was delayed by four hours due to weather conditions. Early in the race, the team faced technical challenges when a hatch cover blew off a forward ballast tank, causing approximately 200 liters of seawater to enter the bow. Herrmann successfully repaired the issue by swapping covers with the aft tank and pumping the section dry.

Despite these setbacks and encountering unexpected wind shifts that forced the boat further north than preferred, Malizia 4 maintained its lead over competitors including 11th Hour Racing, United by the Ocean, and DMG MORI Global One. The fleet is currently navigating toward Lorient, France, with thousands of nautical miles remaining in the race.