The Ocean Race Europe is keeping its fans on tenterhooks this Thursday. While leg one in Portsmouth came to a thrilling end, the day-and-night shifts of the crash and repair teams in Kiel seem to be paying off.
At Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel, "Holcim-PRB" is already looking good again. The hull has been repaired and the other problems are almost under control. The race organisers confirmed on Thursday afternoon that "Holcim-PRB" intends to take to the Portsmouth course later that day once all tests have been passed. Allagrande Mapei Racing is expected to follow very early Friday morning.
Ocean Race Europe: maximum points for "Biotherm"
Sporting excitement reigned in Portsmouth, where Paul Meilhat's French team Biotherm celebrated a commanding start-to-finish victory. The French team mastered the extended course of over 900 nautical miles in 3 days, 19 hours, 58 minutes and 30 seconds. "Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat said at the finish harbour in Portsmouth: "It is incredibly satisfying to have won this race. And on top of that, we had also won the first scoring gate in Kiel."
I already had the feeling in Kiel that the crew, the team and the boat were ready." Paul Meilhat
43-year-old Paul Meilhat, fifth in the most recent Vendée Globe, was delighted with his team's successful performance and said: "We have good momentum. And it's true that this leg had its advantages for us with fewer waves and a lot of upwind sailing. It's great that we won this one. We should have conditions like this quite often in the Ocean Race Europe.
A thrilling duel thriller took place behind Team Biotherm. In the battle for second place, Boris Herrmann's Malizia team had already overtaken Yoann Richomme's "Paprec Arkéa", which had fired off so impressively after the start, once on Thursday night. However, the French were able to catch the Malizians again.
Team Malizia impresses with fighting spirit
On the last of the two course extension loops, which had been drawn in by the organisers, Team Malizia then made another overtaking manoeuvre, which Team Paprec Arkéa did not directly parry - the breakthrough for the German boat in the battle for stage silver. "Malizia - Seaexplorer" crossed the finish line after 3 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes and 50 seconds, a full 7 minutes and 24 seconds ahead of "Paprec Arkéa".
The team fought well." Boris Herrmann
Boris Herrmann, Justine Mettraux, Cole Brauer and Will Harris cheered loudly as they crossed the finish line, clapping their hands and enjoying the duel they had won. The 44-year-old skipper told YACHT online the reasons for the success on leg one of the Ocean Race Europe: "We experienced a leg with rather light winds and dry conditions on deck. We were close to the flat spots and gave it our all. A thousand manoeuvres! We didn't skip or skimp on anything."
This is also reflected in the intermediate classification: while Team Biotherm took the sole lead after the Ocean Race Europe opener with seven points for the stage win and two bonus points for the lead at the scoring gate in front of the Kiel lighthouse with a total of nine points, Team Malizia and Team Paprec Arkéa follow with six points each. Malzia - Seaexplorer" has the lead in the direct comparison, because in the event of a tie, whoever was better on the last leg sailed is in front. Click here for the intermediate results of the Ocean Race Europe.
"Biotherm" is the winner on stage one:
