Conrad Colman is set to make history once again as the first Kiwi skipper to compete in the Ocean Race Atlantic, leading the first all-New Zealand crew ever to race in IMOCA. The veteran offshore sailor, whose career is built on firsts, will depart New York for Lorient on Tuesday aboard the 2007-vintage MSIG Europe with three young crewmates who have never raced an IMOCA before.
Colman’s list of achievements already includes being the first New Zealander to compete in the Route du Rhum, the first to take part in the Solitaire du Figaro, and the first to complete the Vendée Globe, which he has now done twice. This latest milestone is part of his broader ambition to line up for the next Ocean Race around the world, which starts in January.
For this transatlantic race, Colman has assembled what he calls Auckland’s young “rockstars.” Megan Thompson, 28, was named New Zealand Sailor of the Year in 2025 and is a world-class match racer. Aaron Hume-Merry, 38, is an Olympic classes national champion in New Zealand and an experienced offshore sailor. Anna Merchant, 27, brings a diverse background spanning match racing, foiling, and offshore racing.
The crew came together in Lorient for a 12-day delivery sail to the USA, which Colman, 42, described as a “big training block.” He was clearly impressed by the experience. “It really showed me that I had made a fantastic choice for my crew,” he said. “We had an absolutely unbeatable vibe on board with a lot of learning in both directions.”
Colman emphasised the mutual exchange of knowledge with his young teammates. “I am really excited to continue learning from Megan, Aaron and Anna – they are kind of young rock stars in Auckland and they have skills and experience that they bring to the table. But equally, I can pass on my experience that I have accumulated on this boat, having sailed her for the last four years and completed transats and raced around the world.”
Beyond the racing itself, the Ocean Race Atlantic serves a crucial commercial purpose for Colman’s campaign. While he has had the backing of leading insurance provider MSIG Europe for the past four years, he needs at least two more major partners to make the startline of the Ocean Race around the world. “One of the reasons we came to the Ocean Race Atlantic was to get prospective partners and sponsors on board – we are absolutely in sales mode to try and unlock the next level of support,” he said from New York ahead of the start.
Colman is under no illusions about his competitive prospects in this 3,200-nautical mile race. His older daggerboard-configured boat faces five much newer foiling machines, including two of the very latest designs in DMG Mori Global One and Team Malizia. But in characteristic fashion, he sees only positives.
“It is inescapable that we have a boat that’s 20 years old,” he acknowledged. “The contrast in performance is certainly evident for everybody to see, but the way we are approaching this mentally and emotionally as a team is that we are here to build something new and to demonstrate an incredible opportunity that has not existed for Kiwis.”
Colman added with a grin that his team would likely be left behind at the startline in anything more than 10 knots of wind. “But it’s still better to be in the game than on the couch. The miles that we are doing at the moment, and the training and transmission of skills that we are doing with the team, are incredibly valuable, and it’s nice to be here taking steps to move our team forwards.”
When asked what a good outcome would look like, the MSIG Europe skipper was clear about his priorities. “Our good outcome is, within the team, that we all have a good time, that we all feel that we are moving the ball forward, and that we are learning from each other and raising our collective game. That’s the principal objective.”
“The secondary one – which is equally important – is that we are able to demonstrate our potential to future partners that will allow us to maintain and grow the programme.”
