Laure Galley and Kévin Bloch (DMG MORI Academy), 7th in the Transat Paprec!

The rising Figaro skipper and the renowned coach formed a particularly effective duo. Very comfortable at the start of the race, leading at Cape Finisterre and then Madeira, the duo was then distanced before coming back in the final sprint. In the final, Laure and Kévin gave nothing away to finish in the top 10.

THEIR RACE IN NUMBERS

Arrival time: Friday, May 8 at 3:28 a.m. (local time), 9:28 a.m. (metropolitan time) Race time: 18 days, 20 hours, 26 minutes, 17 seconds

Gap to first: 1 h 09

Gap to previous: 55 seconds

Distance covered: 4,274 miles

Average speed (real): 9.4 knots

THEIR RACE DECRYPTED. DMG MORI Academy has gone all-in!

Don't be fooled by appearances. Throughout the videos aboard DMG MORI Academy, we see a united duo, two people who appreciate each other and who fight like never before. A friendship that has strengthened throughout this Atlantic adventure, but which, at its origin, is the bond between a promising skipper and her coach. Kevin Bloch has the right words and the ability to inspire confidence.

As Laure trains alongside him, an idea emerges: what if they compete in the Transat Paprec together? The idea appeals to Kévin, eager to experience the joys of competition again. Right up to the end on the pontoons in Concarneau, while most of the sailors continue to greet their loved ones, Laure and Kévin refine their strategies, discuss maneuvers, and retrace the coastal course.

Their seriousness, visible on the pontoons, quickly became evident offshore. From the start, DMG MORI Academy was among the fastest, and at Cape Finisterre, they took the lead. " We could hardly have dreamed of a better start to the race ," Laure confided at that moment. After rounding Madeira and then La Palma, the two skippers were fighting it out in the top 10. " The situation is complicated for the second part of the race," Laure explained. " We're racking our brains to find the best route ."

The time when Kevin will be able to " visit Johnny's grave " is still a long way off, as he puts it in a video. Slightly behind the leaders in the trade winds, the duo got their revenge in the reshuffling of the cards at the end of the race. Faced with the lull zone, DMG MORI Academy went all-in and headed south. Thus, they climbed up the rankings, first into the "top 10" and then into the "top 5" since last Wednesday. Then, thanks to this completely unprecedented situation, Laure and Kevin held on. They finished just 55 seconds behind 6th place and can finally enjoy themselves after their intense efforts.