French Victory at Inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic

Paul Meilhat and the United by the Ocean crew clinched the win in the first Ocean Race Atlantic. The race, featuring IMOCA 60 yachts, saw a thrilling finish off the Brittany coast as Meilhat's team overtook Francesca Clapcich’s 11th Hour Racing in the final miles after a transatlantic voyage.

In a dramatic conclusion to the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic, France's Paul Meilhat and his United by the Ocean crew emerged victorious on Thursday. They overtook the leading 11th Hour Racing, skippered by American Francesca Clapcich, in the final stretch off Brittany's coast.

The race, a 3,000-nautical-mile journey from New York to Lorient, saw tight competition among the top competitors. Initially, 11th Hour Racing held a slight lead, but shifting winds allowed Meilhat's team to surge ahead at the crucial moment.

This year's edition, organized by The Ocean Race, featured six IMOCA 60 yachts with mixed-gender crews. Despite challenges posed by wind conditions, Meilhat's crew secured a memorable victory in a race marked by close competition and strategic navigation choices.