Ocean Race Europe: More favourites than outsiders - who will win the race?

Seven Imoca racing teams will start the Ocean Race Europe on 10 August. Six are already in Kiel, the Italian team Allagrande Mapei Racing will arrive on Thursday morning. The standard has risen considerably compared to the premiere of the European race. There are more favourites than outsiders in the fleet. The conditions will also decide the outcome of the race.

The 2nd Ocean Race Europe starts in Kiel on Sunday. The seven racing teams can expect a challenging first leg to Portsmouth on the south coast of England from 3.45 pm on 10 August, where the crews are expected four to five days later. The challengers are among the best ocean sailors in the world and come from 13 different nations.

The Ocean Race Europe: many sprints, one marathon

Eleven skippers from the last Vendée Globe and six former winners of the Ocean Race will be in action from the start or during the course of the 4500 nautical mile, six-week race. "It sounds like a simple race on paper: You just sail around Europe. The sailors are used to sailing around the world. But don't think it's easy," says Ocean Race co-owner and Race Chairman Richard Brisius.

The Ocean Race Europe is one of the most relentless races you can experience." Richard Brisius

Richard Brisius provided the reason for this on the official opening evening on the Kiel stage in the Ocean Live Park: "The sailors sleep so little over the two, three, sometimes even four days of the individual legs. Then they cross the finish line - from here in Kiel they head to Portsmouth in England. Then you think: Now I can get some rest. No, you can't! You have to prepare for the next start, which is just a few days later. It really is a race in which you have to manage your energy consumption very efficiently."

Whoever lifts the trophy in Boka Bay on 20 September will be very proud. Like everyone who finishes the Ocean Race Europe." Richard Brisius

The fleet for the Ocean Race Europe is made up of some of the most powerful foilers in the current Imoca world. In addition to the VPLP design "Malizia - Seaexplorer", which Boris Herrmann played a major role in developing, there are the two sister ships "Allagrande Mapei Racing" and "Paprec Arkéa" designed by Antoine Koch/Finot Conq, as well as the Guillaume-Verdier designs "Holcim-PRB", "Biotherm" and "Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water positive."

Why starts in the Ocean Race Europe are important

The Canadian boat is one of the most successful Imocas of recent years. It won The Ocean Race around the world in 2023 as "Mālama" and is also the Vendée Globe third, which Sébastien Simon even steered to the podium on a foil as "Groupe Dubreuil" in the solo around the world. Alan Roura's Team Amaala with its VPLP/Hobson design (ex-"Hugo Boss", ex-"Hublot") was the seventh boat to join the Ocean Race Europe late, but with a lot of Swiss passion.

Five of the registered boats were launched in 2022. The most frequently named favourites at the Ocean Live Park in Kiel, which opened on Wednesday, were Team Holcim-PRB, Team Biotherm and Team Paprec Arkéa. The two Koch/Conq boats in particular are said to have high performance potential in the lighter European summer winds and frequently expected transitional conditions.

More so than usual in offshore sailing, the starts will play an important role in the Ocean Race Europe. There is always a first scoring gate shortly after the start of each leg, at which the leading boat is awarded two points and the second-placed boat one point. All others go away empty-handed. After the start in Kiel, these bonus points are awarded at the Kiel lighthouse.

Bonus points for lightning starters

"I really don't like this rule. The only thing that counts is the finish. Even if you've been in front for 99 per cent of a race and finish fifth - then you're fifth. It's like in football: if you hit the crossbar three times, it's still zero goals. We don't really need to be pushed to make strong starts because we sail strong races. We do everything we can all the time to be as fast as possible. ", says Ambrogio Beccaria.

Despite his criticism of the bonus point rule, Ambrogio Beccaria was dynamically optimistic about the race, saying in Kiel: "We have all the cards in our hand that we need to win this race. But then it is also a very special race and different to what we are used to. Because it is sailed with teams and consists of many short coastal races." Ambrogio Beccaria did not want to get involved in betting on the race and the podium favourites: "In Italy we do bet, but we are also very superstitious. We don't bet on ourselves."

"Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat is also not a big fan of bonus points for lightning starters. "The sportsman in me doesn't want that in an offshore race, because it is an offshore race. But of course it's good for show and excitement," says Vendée Globe fifth. Did his team make any special preparations for the starts? "No, not specially. We don't even know how the race will start until shortly before the start. Upwind or reaching - we don't know. You can change all the waypoints for a stage up until the day before the start," says Paul Meilhat.

The keys to success in the Ocean Race Europe

But the Frenchman knows what everyone knows: The Ocean Race Europe, which starts on Sunday, will not only be characterised by light winds, but often so. "But above all by many transitions. From medium winds to light winds and back again. One of the games of the race will be to be the first to get the new wind. The light wind and transitional strengths will be the key in this race," believes Paul Meilhat.

The "Biotherm" skipper says that Team Holcim-PRB, the Canadians and his team have the best boats for the job. "These three boats represent roughly the same design philosophy." The often expected transitional conditions are not necessarily the greatest strengths of "Malizia - Seaexplorer". Nevertheless, skipper Boris Herrmann believes that "all teams, except perhaps Amaala, have a chance of winning this race".

Boris Herrmann knows: "Our ship is perhaps not the strongest in these mid-winds. Holcim is pretty strong. They also pulled Paprec off the Fastnet." Although the Herrmann team is aiming for a top result in the last race with "Malizia - Seaexplorer", it is also pursuing a higher goal, as Boris Herrmann explains: "We are using the Ocean Race Europe to grow together as a team. I really want to have all these people with me in 2027. We are getting to know each other as a crew."

Groundwork for the 2027 world race

Boris Herrmann already has his sights set on The Ocean Race around the world in 2027. If it were just about the Ocean Race Europe, he would also prefer to contest the upcoming European race - like some rivals - with a non-rotating quartet. "If we had set the course uncompromisingly for victory in the Ocean Race Europe, then perhaps you would have favoured people who know the boat better. But we don't want to win the battle, we want to win the war. And the war will be in 2027."

Race Director Phil Lawrence explained that the Ocean Race Europe is all about offshore sailing, but the race also presents tricky challenges close to shore with shifting coastal winds, headlands, tides and exclusion zones. It will be about performing under pressure. "These are intense races," says Lawrence, "most of the legs are four days long and the crews will have to give 100 per cent. It's going to be a real challenge."