And once again the winner is "Biotherm". Paul Meilhat and his crew took the third stage gold after winning stages one and two and every intermediate classification on the course from Cartagena to Nice. The spectacular attacks and the interim lead of "Holcim-PRB" could not change this. And if "Biotherm" was not in the lead, it usually did not take long for the crew to take advantage of a new opportunity and regain their usual position.
Success in the Ocean Race: What makes Team Biotherm tick
"I already said it in Kiel: this race is our highlight of the year. I think it's very important to say that. I gave everything I could to succeed in this race. And it worked," said Paul Meilhat in an interview with YACHT in Nice. And also this: "We ticked all the boxes with the tasks for this race. And of course it's great when you win in sport."
It's been quite a while since I won a race. When you have to wait a long time for a win, it makes it even more valuable." Paul Meilhat
Meilhat continues to see both his boat and his crew as the most important factors in his success to date, saying: "Of course, the boat is fast in these conditions. And the crew is strong, everyone has found their place by now. And the places are well distributed, which is really important. The structures are clear."
It's easier if you know what you want." Paul Meilhat
"Biotherm" co-skipper Amélie Grassi summarised the team's recipe for success as follows: "The first ingredient is the boat. We have a pretty good boat for this race. We are really fast in light winds, upwind and downwind VMG. We're actually pretty fast all the time."
The ingredients for success in the Ocean Race Europe
In addition, the crew know their boat very, very well. Grassi said: "We don't spend so much time looking for speed. After every manoeuvre, we know how to manage the boat in order to make it fast again as quickly as possible. And the second ingredient is the team. We have a strong team on land, almost the same as in the Ocean Race 2023. They know each other well. And they know the boat well."
Commenting on the sailing team, Amélie Grassi said: "And then we also have a strong team on board with a very good team spirit. We work well together. Paul gives us good energy. Sam does a great strategy job. We have a lot of fun together on the boat, but also on land. Maybe that's the third ingredient."
We enjoy spending time together on the water and on land. This energy is like fuel for our performance." Amélie Grassi
Is the commanding lead in the Ocean Race more of a luxury or a burden for Team Biotherm? Skipper Paul Meilhat says: "No, I'm very happy to have this advantage now. But it's offshore sailing. Something can always happen. It's not done yet." Team Biotherm leads the classification with 34 points, ahead of teams Holcim-PRB and Paprec Arkéa (23 points) and Team Malizia (16 points). A maximum of 25 points are still up for grabs on the remaining two stages with two bonus point classifications and in the final coastal race in the best-case scenario.
Rosalin Kuiper goes on the attack
In the battle for these points, the Crahs and Comeback crew on "Holcim-PRB" have a lot to live up to. None of the skippers or sailors in the Ocean Race Europe were as adrenalin-fuelled as Rosalin Kuiper after the finale of leg three in Nice. The "Holcim-PRB" conductor often raised her fist to the crisp blue sky above Nice's Vieux Port, raving about the "intense battle with "Biotherm".
The Dutch "Holcim-PRB" skipper reported how she could "literally smell" her opponents in the race, was delighted with her "nice second place" and described the challenges of the often "completely unpredictable winds" on this third leg with very active facial expressions and gestures. Above all, Rosalin Kuiper gave free rein to her joy at what she had achieved 19 days after the dramatic crash with Allagrande Mapei Racing in Kiel.
At the end of the third stage, however, despite the formidable "Holcim-PRB" performance, the winner was once again "Biotherm", whose crew prevailed in a duel with Rosalin Kuiper, Franck Cammas, Carolijn Brouwer and navigator Nico Lunven. "The key scene took place at the top of Mallorca. We were in front and got stuck with no wind. They saw that and reacted cleverly," said Ocean Race winner Carolin Brouwer, describing the decisive phase in the duel between the two top teams on the section between Cartagena and Nice.
Duel between "Biotherm" and "Holcim-PRB"
After that, the crew on "Holcim-PRB" was unable to regain the lead. "Holcim-PRB" navigator Nico Lunven said with a smile about the often unpredictable winds: "The moment you looked at the wind forecasts, there were sometimes differences of 180 degrees in the wind angles. You can't do weather routing with that - you might play cards or chess with it, but you don't do routing with it."
Commenting on Team Biotherm's dominance, Nico Lunven said with a laugh: "We like this crew, but we've had enough." However, the usually reserved Frenchman also sent a challenge to Paul Meilhat and his crew: "They have built up quite a comfortable lead overall, but as long as we haven't reached Montenegro yet, anything can still happen!"
The cards are already quite clearly distributed at the halfway point: "Biotherm" leads the standings with a glittering white waistcoat and the maximum possible 34 points. A lot would have to happen to push this boat off the European throne.
Team Malizia loses in the final Mediterranean poker game
With fifth place on this third stage, Team Malizia (16 points) has lost its top three position in the intermediate classification for the time being. In the night before the Nice finale, "Malizia - Seaexplorer" had been able to move up to third place in a three-way battle with Ambrogio Beccaria's Team Allagrande Mapei Racing and "Paprec Arkéa" without the suspended Yoann Richomme, but with Pascal Bidégorry, Yann Eliès, Corentin Horeau and Mariana Lobato. The joy did not last long.
"They were able to rake a little sharper at the end when we came out half an hour above the gate," Boris Herrmann admitted of a key scene in the three-way battle for fourth place. A layline over 35, 40 nautical miles, which then goes back and forth like this a few times within 30 minutes, is difficult to see, explained Herrmann. Chance also plays a role here.
The two opponents came out "slightly below this layline" in the nightly final sprint in the constantly changing wind roulette and were able to sail in at 38 knots. "And then you come in with 20 knots. Then you're behind them," said Herrmann, giving an insight into the rapidly changing conditions in the Mediterranean poker game, which Team Malizia lost on this third leg in the three-way final.
Speed makes the difference
One of the reasons for this is the different speed talents of the Imocas. Boris Herrmann said: "We might have a small edge on them in light upwind conditions, but when there was a bit of faster reaching, they were very, very fast last night."
Boris Herrmann and his team finished the leg in a positive mood despite the losses at the end. The skipper said: "I am very proud of my team. They have worked very hard." For him, the Ocean Race Europe remains an exciting race "with a great route". Boris Herrmann has a suggestion for the scoring: "It would perhaps be more interesting to add up the times of the legs and not the points. Then we would probably be in the match now. That would make it more open and could be interesting."
The starting gun for the fourth leg of the Ocean Race Europe will be fired at 4.55 pm on Sunday after a sunny weekend in Nice. The crews will not have much time to rest during the breathless European chase. For Team Malizia, team founder Pierre Casiraghi will be in action for the first time in this race from Sunday. The Monegasque will attack alongside Boris Herrmann, Cole Brauer and Francesca Clapcich. Click here for tracking as soon as stage four is underway.
We won the leg to Genoa in the Ocean Race around the world. A good memory..." Boris Herrmann
"Biotherm" continues its triumphal march in the Ocean Race Europe:
