Ocean Race Europe: "Total control" - Who will stop the champion sailors?
Tatjana Pokorny
· 31.08.2025
The Ocean Race Europe is raging towards its decision. Or has the battle for victory already been decided? Mathematically, everything points to a triumph for Paul Meilhat's Team Biotherm. The crew on the French 2022 Imoca designed by Guillaume Verdier has won all three legs so far. They were also the first boat to collect the maximum two points at all three early scoring gates.
Ocean Race Europe: "Biotherm" invincible?
Including double points on stage two from Portsmouth via Matosinhos-Porto to Cartagena, the ideal score of 34 points has been accumulated on the "Biotherm" account. Paul Meilhat, Amélie Grassi, Sam Goodchild and Jack Bouttell or - as again on stage four - Benjamin Ferré dominate the fleet ahead of the final two stages with further bonus points and the Boka Bay short race worth a stage. Can the competition still hold off the compelling "Biotherm" crew?
After the third stage victory in the Baie des Anges off Nice, "Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat said of the recent thrilling duel with "Holcim-PRB" that his crew was never sure of victory on this section. His view of the two boats: "They are quite similar in terms of philosophy. We have different foils, but when we're not foiling, the speeds are very, very similar."
Two kilometres before the finish line of leg three, said Paul Meilhat during his first Ocean Race Europe, "we were practically sailing side by side, it was incredible! They were right behind us, not far away at all." The scenario is one reason why Team Biotherm, despite a perfect score of 34 points so far, is not yet in premature victory mode, even though "Holcim-PRB" navigator and leg 4 skipper Nicolas Lunven attested to the dominators' "masterclass" and "Holcim-PRB" sailor Corentin Horeau attested to the front runners' "total control".
What is an eleven-point lead worth?
Although Team Holcim-PRB and Team Paprec Arkéa have accumulated eleven points behind "Biotherm" with 23 points each, they are far from giving up. After all, a maximum of 25 points still await them for two possible stage wins, two bonus points and victory in the Boka Bay short race worth a full stage - only without bonus points.
Roslain Kuiper and the "Holcim-PRB" crew arrived in Nice full of vigour despite narrowly losing the duel with "Biotherm". Second in Cartagena and second again in Nice - Team Holcim-PRB made a remarkable comeback after the early setback in Kiel. The team led by skipper Rosalin Kuiper draws a lot of energy and self-confidence from this.
When asked about second place, Franck Cammas said in Nice: "We'd rather be first!" Nico Lunven specified: "We're happy to be second, but it's not perfect." Lunven also gave a reason for this with regard to "Biotherm": "We can be faster in the wind and on the course, but they manage to pull away in the transitions - and we have to chase after them."
Team Holcim-PRB wants more in the Ocean Race Europe
Nevertheless, the goal remains clear for Team Holcim-PRB, which started the Ocean Race Europe with ambitions of victory. "It's a big challenge to leave Biotherm behind us. It won't be easy, but we will keep pushing," said Franck Cammas. On leg three, Nico Lunven. Franck Cammas, Carolijn Brouwer and Alan Roberts want to realise this goal, while skipper Rosalin Kuiper will retire as planned.
Their rivals from Team Paprec Arkéa, who are level on points, have something similar in mind. The crew missed out on the podium for the first time in the Ocean Race Europe on leg three. "That was a bit of a disappointment," admitted Yann Eliès after fourth place on leg three. Technical problems with the J0 and the pressure from Team Malizia cost them dearly. Now skipper Yoann Richomme and Pascal Bidégorry are back on board for stage four and want to turn the tide again with Mariana Lobato and Gaston Morvan.
With the second half of the Ocean Race Europe now underway, Team Malizia is seven points behind the podium in fourth place on 16 points, but Boris Herrmann recalls the course of the third leg of the Ocean Race Europe: "We were always close to our competitors, and although it wasn't enough, we could have reached the podium." Click here for the report of stage 3.
A lot can still happen on the last two stages." Boris Herrmann
Malizian "Frankie" Clapcich on home course
The night before the finish in Nice, Team Malizia had moved up to third place before a fast and sharp reach allowed both Allagrande Mapei Racing and Team Paprec Arkéa to overtake them. "And then there's also the short race in Boka Bay. We often do quite well in races like this. Nothing has been decided yet, it's not over yet," said Boris Herrmann.
Herrmann will be joined by co-skipper Francesca Clapcich, Cole Brauer and Loïs Berrehar on the fourth leg from Nice to Genoa. The future "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper "Frankie" Clapcich, who grew up in Turin and now lives in the USA, will be travelling to her home country.
Lurking behind the Malizians is Ambrogio Beccaria's reinvigorated Allagrande Mapei Racing team, which got itself back into the game after the Kiel crash with "Holcim-PRB" and no points for stage one with a third podium place on stage three.
Allagrande Mapei Racing in the lurking position
Not to be forgotten: The Italian and his high-calibre French rivals - Thomas Ruyant, Morgan Lagravère and Manon Peyre - set course for Beccaria's home country with stage four. "It will be as difficult a section as the last stage. But whatever the outcome, it will be a great race!" announced Ambrogio Beccaria in Nice, for whose team things were only ever looking up after the botched opening stage with fourth and third place.
Our improvement is real." Ambrogio Beccaria
There will also be a fight at the back of the field. Team Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water Positive will start stage four of the Ocean Race Europe without Scott Shawyer, but with skipper Pip Hare, Sébastien Marsset, Christopher Pratt and Robin Follin. With a deficit of just two points to Allagrande Mapei Racing, the fast-learning team on the former Ocean Race sierger 'Mãlama' could still be in with a chance.
Alan Roura's Team Amaala also remains on the attack in seventh and last place with just six points in their account. "We tell ourselves every stage that we're going to get them. This time we've kept the gap smaller, even though the conditions weren't ideal."
One day we'll get them!" Alan Roura
With Team Amaala, which started late before the race, the Swiss is seizing the opportunity to introduce young sailors to the world of Imoca and ocean racing. "It's a wonderful experience that we can give them. Hopefully it will stay," said Roura in Nice. He will start stage four with the very experienced and popular Vendée Globe soloist Conrad Colman, Lucie de Gennes and Mathis Bourgnon.
The starting signal will be given this Sunday at 5 pm. The preceding section leads from Nice to Genoa in Italy via the scoring gate off Monaco. "Biotherm" co-skipper Amélie Grassi on the possible outcome: "We're in the Mediterranean here - it's unpredictable and things can change very quickly!"
