Ocean Race Europe: A great start for Malizia, but "Biotherm" takes the prize
Tatjana Pokorny
· 26.08.2025
Whatever the teams in the Ocean Race Europe try to do: When the points are distributed, it is always Team Biotherm that takes the maximum spoils. This was the case again on Tuesday afternoon when, shortly after the start of the third leg from Cartagena to Nice, the first scoring gate at the latitude of Cabo de Palos was passed.
Ocean Race Europe: Team Malizia takes a risk...
To start things off, Boris Herrmann, Cole Brauer, Francesca Clapcich and Loïs Berrehar on "Malizia - Seaexplorer" caused quite a stir with a long beat at sea. Boris Herrmann explained the interesting move from the sea: "We had a really nice right turn on the right side of the course and more wind. It was close and could have gone in our favour."
Instead - as always before - Paul Meilhat's French race dominator "Biotherm" took the two bonus points for the first boat at the scoring gate. According to the race organisers, Team Paprec Arkéa (France) secured one bonus point, even though the tracker initially made it look different and in favour of Team Holcim-PRB.
The fifth boat to go through the scoring gate after Ambrogio Beccaria's Team Allagrande Mapei Racing "Malizia - Seaexplorer" remained - like the other boats in third to seventh place - without bonus points. Click here for the Ocean Race Europe intermediate classification after two legs and three early scoring gates.
"Biotherm" dominates Ocean Race Europe
The "Ocean's Seven" still had between 656 and 661 nautical miles to go to Nice early on Tuesday evening, barely four nautical miles apart. The fleet is expected to arrive in the French stage harbour on Friday. Team Biotherm (25 points) leads the overall standings in the second edition of the round Europe race over a total of five legs and a final short race in the finish harbour of Boka Bay (Montenegro), ahead of Team Arkéa Paprec (18 points) and Team Malizia (13 points).
However, the jury's decision following the Kiel start collision between "Holcim-PRB" and the Italian team Allagrande Mapei Racing will take effect from the end of the current third leg. The Swiss team will then receive compensation for missing the first leg in the amount of the average results achieved in legs two to five. Theoretically, the Swiss have already knocked Team Malizia out of third place, but - depending on how the stage goes - this may not remain the case until Nice.
"The first 20 hours seem to be clear. But then an area of low pressure comes our way. We don't know exactly what will happen, but it will change the schedule considerably," said "Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat before the start on Tuesday, describing the complex third leg of the race.
Dynamic stage ahead
Team Biotherm has had a perfect record so far, scoring maximum points in all classifications. In the current leg, Frenchman Benjamin Ferré has come into the "Biotherm" game for Brit Sam Goodchild. The former mini 6.50 sailor finished sixteenth and best non-foiler at the 10th Vendée Globe.
The Dutch "Holcim-PRB" skipper Rosalin Kuiper (NED) also expected "a very dynamic leg" and said: "It will be a big challenge as a low pressure system is moving towards the Mediterranean. It really depends on how this system moves and how fast the fleet is."
Boris Herrmann is back in the Malizia team after having to sit out stage two. He did not expect the third stage to be easy either: "I assume that this stage will be full of surprises. There is a lot of uncertainty about how this low will develop."
The centre of this depression could coincide with our biggest obstacle - the beautiful island of Mallorca." Boris Herrmann
The 44-year-old "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper explained in detail: "In one scenario, we could pass very close to the north coast of Mallorca, but other scenarios lead to different routes. There will be surprises until the end." After the fresh start in winds of 12 to 17 knots, upwind conditions are expected to continue in the area overnight. The crews are facing a challenging first night at sea.
Next stop: Côte d'Azur
The route of the third leg takes the Ocean Race Europe fleet past the Balearic Islands and around the French island of Giraglia, north of Corsica to Nice. The front-runners are expected to arrive on the French Côte d'Azur on 29 August.
