Will Harris - reflections on the Transat Café L’OR

I think it’s still hitting home a bit - that we just finished second in the Transat Café L’OR. It’s one of the biggest races I’ve ever done, and honestly, probably the best result of my career so far. To finish ahead of such a high level of IMOCA sailors, after eleven days of racing, really shows that we sailed a great race from start to finish. It wasn’t just one big move or a lucky break - it was a consistent, solid performance all the way through.

Twenty-four hours before the finish, I was totally burned out - just thinking, ‘get to the finish.’ But sitting here now writing this, it’s starting to sink in. Originally, the goal was just to be on the podium. Frankie and I said the day before finishing, “Let’s defend the podium, stay ahead of Allagrande MAPEI, and if we happen to get past MACIF Santé Prévoyance - that’s a bonus.” So to end up overtaking them and finishing second was just incredible.

There’s definitely a lot of relief now. It’s a special feeling - to be so in tune with a race, to feel like we were the faster boat. That doesn’t happen often. Usually I’m the one chasing others. To be the one setting the pace, that’s a nice change. It actually reminded me a lot of the Southern Ocean leg in The Ocean Race, which I won with Team Malizia. A similar feeling - those perfect conditions, and everything just clicking.

Right now I’m tired, but still buzzing from the finish. I think when I finally get home to France, it’ll really hit me. But for now, I’m still running on the high of ‘we did it!’.

How we sailed the race

From the start, we were detailed - really detailed - in our planning. It wasn’t just, “We’ll tack to the English coast.” It was everything: the first mark, what time we’d change sails, when Frankie would rest, when we’d eat. We had a rhythm, and we stuck to it for the first three days, which were rough. Those were full-on conditions, so every bit of energy mattered.

That preparation paid off. A lot of other teams came out of those first days exhausted or with breakages. We also had an issue - we lost our autopilot - but we had the energy and focus to fix it properly and not lose time. That set us up for the rest of the race. 

As navigator, I ran the routings, downloaded the weather, checked the models, and we’d make decisions together. Frankie completely trusted me with the navigation, and I trusted her completely with the boat handling. It was natural and easy - we both knew what needed to happen. There was never a moment of, “Why are you doing that?” It was just a smooth collaboration.

In the final days, that teamwork really showed. When we started gybing, only four boats were realistically in contention for the podium. We knew we had the speed - it was all about timing and decisions. We played our cards right, gained a 15-mile advantage on MACIF, and once we were ahead, we could control the race. That was a great moment.

Sailing with Frankie

Sailing with Frankie was amazing. She brings such good energy onboard. I can get stressed - overthink things, worry about what the other boats are doing - and she’s just like, “No, look, we’re doing amazing.” She really helped bring positivity when I needed it most.

She’s also super driven. If another boat was going faster, she’d notice straight away and want to fix it. She keeps the boat flying, which made my life easier because I could focus on the navigation knowing she was getting every ounce of speed out of the boat.

And she’s organized - really organized. The cockpit was always tidy, everything in its place. I’ve sailed with plenty of people who just leave things lying around, but Frankie takes the time to look after the boat. It sounds small, but those habits make a huge difference in a race like this.

Humanly, we just clicked. The race went like a breeze because we understood each other - what we liked, what we didn’t, how to communicate. It was natural, easy, and fun. I think that’s what made it such a great race for both of us.

It’ll be a big jump for Frankie to go solo next, but I have no doubt she’s got the potential to do really well. She’s got the mindset, the work ethic, and the drive to be right up there.

What’s next?

For me, first - I’m going home. It’s been a long season, and I’ve learned that if we want to do this sport for another 20 years, we’ve got to look after ourselves. These races take a real toll - on your body, your sleep, everything.

But before that, a few nice days with the team. It’s not just Frankie and me who finished second - it’s everyone who prepared the boat, gave us confidence to push hard, and made sure everything worked perfectly. It really is a team effort.

After that, it’s back to The Ocean Race with Team Malizia. We’ll take the lessons from this Transat - especially the confidence from how well we sailed - and carry that forward. But for now, I’m just proud, tired, and grateful.

We sailed our race. We trusted each other. And we finished second in the Transat Café L’OR. That’s a feeling I’ll remember for a long time.