The Ocean Race Atlantic: The Malizia crew - Herrmann times against Harris

Team Malizia's line-up has many big surprises in store for The Ocean Race Atlantic after last year's European race. But one thing is immediately noticeable: Companion Will Harris, who is still an active member of Team Malizia, is not part of the line-up for the first big Transat with the new "Malizia 4".

The Ocean Race Atlantic: Herrmann leads Team Malizia, Harris sails in the Clapcich team

A look at the crew for the former "Malizia 3", which was also presented on 15 April, reveals the solution to this unusual division. The boat has been managed by Francesca Clapcich since autumn 2025. "11th Hour Racing" but will continue to be co-managed by Team Malizia in technical areas. In the Clapcich team, Will Harris' name is on the crew list for The Ocean Race Atlantic. Background: The well-known Malizia sailors from last year's Ocean Race Europe have split into two teams for the upcoming Transat.

For Boris Herrmann, the change brings the opportunity to compete in a race with a new crew constellation and in particular with Julien Villion. In a press release published on Wednesday, it said: "Team Malizia is proud to introduce its crew for The Ocean Race Atlantic, a new Imoca Class transatlantic race starting on 1 September 2026. Skipper Boris Herrmann (GER) will be supported by co-skippers Cole Brauer (USA), Justine Mettraux (SUI) and Julien Villion (FRA) as well as onboard reporter Gauthier Lebec (FRA)."

At the same time, the team around Francesca Clapcich, sponsored by 11th Hour Racing, published its line-up for The Ocean Race Atlantic. In addition to the American-Italian skipper and Will Harris, with whom Clapcich sailed to a formidable second place in the Transat Café L'or 2025, the other nominees are the Italian Alberto Bona and Justine Mettraux's sister: Elodie-Jane Mettraux. The onboard reporter for Team Francesca Clapcich is the American Meredith Rogers.

Launch and Transat: "A great year"

The Ocean Race Atlantic will take the participating four-man crews and their on-board reporters from New York City to Lorient. Six teams are currently on the Transat entry list. One of them has just appeared, but has not yet been named. In addition to Team Malizia and the Clapcich team, the others are the Paul Meilhat Sailing Team, the DMG Mori Sailing Team and Team Oliver Heer Ocean Racing.

The Ocean Race Atlantic marks the first competition for Team Malizia with the new boat, which is due to be launched at the end of June. Team Malizia wants to use the transatlantic race in two ways: to further develop the Imoca, which is still almost new to the shipyard, but also to continue building up the crew for The Ocean Race 2027.

"A new boat, a new race and as much motivation as ever," says Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann on the status of preparations for the imoca regatta season, which is set to start again soon. He continues: "We are looking forward to a great year with the launch of our new boat and The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026 shortly afterwards."

Premiere for the new Imoca-Transat: "A significant event"

The 44-year-old is also looking forward to the North Atlantic challenge in The Ocean Race Atlantic with enthusiasm, saying: "I'm really looking forward to competing in this sprint across the North Atlantic with co-skippers Cole Brauer, Justine Mettraux and Julien Villion, and with Gauthier Lebec as onboard reporter. It will be the first race on our new Imoca yacht."

With a new crew configuration and on a route that is of great importance to me and the team - that makes this event a very meaningful one." Boris Herrmann

The premiere of The Ocean Race Atlantic, a new transatlantic regatta for the Imoca class, starts on 1 September in New York. The teams will complete the approximately 3,000 nautical miles (5,500 kilometres) across the Atlantic to Lorient in an estimated eight to nine days. As in last year's Ocean Race Europe, the crew configuration will consist of four members. The on-board reporter will be added.

As a milestone for the sport, The Ocean Race Atlantic will be the first Imoca race in which the crews must compete with an even gender distribution: two women and two men each form a sailing team. Boris Herrmann's team members are known from the Ocean Race Europe 2025.

A "strong and balanced crew" for Team Malizia

Team Malizia intends to continue participating in regattas with different crews in order to best prepare for the 2027 circumnavigation. At the same time, the individual crew members are also pushing ahead with their own projects between events.

Boris Herrmann said of his crew for The Ocean Race Atlantic: "Cole, Justine and I competed together in The Ocean Race Europe last summer. And I'm looking forward to finally sailing alongside Julien. He's a very experienced sailor in various formats, an excellent navigator and fitted in brilliantly with our team during the Course des Caps last year. His long-standing collaboration with Justine also brings invaluable experience and continuity to the group."

Boris Herrmann is also delighted about the continuation of his collaboration with Vendée Globe eighth Justine Mettraux. Herrmann said: "As far as Justine is concerned, she is simply one of the best sailors ever. I've always had great respect for her. It was great to finally sail with her instead of against her. With Cole completing the crew and doing a great job last year challenging the Imoca races, it feels like a really strong and balanced crew for this race."

Mettraux confidants Villion and Lebec on board

New to the team is Gauthier Lebec, an experienced on-board reporter on high-tech foilers. In The Ocean Race 2022/2023, he worked with Benjamin Dutreux, and in the Ocean Race Europe 2025 he was in the winning team around "Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat active. Gauthier Lebec has also been working with Justine Mettraux for many years.

Gauthier's Lebec comments on the new role: "I am delighted to be joining Team Malizia, who have competed in every edition of The Ocean Race with the Imoca class and are known for giving their all while maintaining a balance between performance and fun. I look forward to capturing the team's story on camera during The Ocean Race Atlantic and being part of the Malizia adventure."

The fleet will assemble at the Brooklyn Bridge Marina in New York City at the end of August, where they will take part in pre-race events on land and on the water before the start of the race on 1 September. After their sprint across the North Atlantic, the teams are expected to cross the finish line on 8 or 9 September, where an Ocean Live Park will once again be set up for the public with activities for all ages in Lorient's La Base Harbour.

"Raising awareness of the climate crisis" in The Ocean Race Atlantic

Both New York City and Lorient, which was also announced today by the organisers as the destination for The Ocean Race 2027, have a special significance for Boris Herrmann and his team. "We celebrated many important milestones in New York and in the North Atlantic," Boris Herrmann remembers fondly.

In detail, the skipper from Hamburg mentions "racing successes, including Podium places and several transatthat I organised with Giovanni Soldini". Also "our trip with Greta Thunberg in 2019 and recently an event with world-renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle to raise awareness of the climate crisis".

Team Malizia also recalls that a similar crewed route was last completed on leg five of the 2022/2023 Ocean Race, during which the team broke the 24-hour record for monohulls. During this leg, Team Malizia collected ocean data in the North Atlantic, including during a storm that revealed a significant release of CO₂ from the ocean into the atmosphere. This mission will be continued with the new "Malizia 4" and in cooperation with the scientific partners.

Cole Brauer sees "positive step for the sport"

Cole Brauer, who once entered the Imoca sailing scene through the Magenta project and with Boris Herrmann as her mentor, is particularly pleased about the new official crew format with an equal number of positions for men and women. Cole Brauer said: "During the Ocean Race Europe, Team Malizia always had at least two women on board. Now it is a positive step for our sport that this configuration has been officially adopted by the organisers."

With the new Malizia building taking shape week by week, Team Malizia is busy preparing for a new phase of the campaign. In the coming weeks, the crew will train together for the season while continuing to work on various projects related to the Malizia mission "A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now!". Team Malizia has announced "exciting news" for the coming period.

The Malizia crew for The Ocean Race Atlantic:

"We are Team Malizia" - Team Malizia has just released this clip: