Nothing easy about final leg to Boka Bay

Genova, Italy (September 7, 2025) – The seven international teams competing in The Ocean Race Europe 2025 have set off from Genova, Italy on the fifth and final leg of the race – a complicated 1600-nautical mile passage through the Mediterranean and into the Adriatic Sea on the way to Boka Bay, Montenegro.

There is an estimated eight days of grueling racing ahead of them before the arrival in Montenegor and as soon as the start gun fired, the four-person, mixed-gender crews were immediately faced with a critical decision: whether the first patch of breeze would be inshore or offshore.

Boris Herrmann (GER) – skipper of the German entry Team Malizia – described the start scenario as ‘challenging’, but was smartly keeping his strategy cards close to his chest.

“After the start today [the question will be] whether we will get the wind patch along the shore or offshore. I suspect the leg could be decided nearly right at the start – between those who go offshore and those who stay inshore. We will see.”

The leg 5 race course sees the fleet dive south from Genova, through a Scoring Gate at the latitude of Sardinia’s Santo Stefano, looping around a series of waypoints that take the yachts past the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily, before rounding a waypoint west of Greece and turning north into the Adriatic on the way to the finish in Boka Bay.

“It’s a long zig-zag of eight or nine days through the Med with a lot of curves and local effects and local winds – not a huge wind field but little patches here and there,” Herrmann explained.

Starting the final leg with a 12 point lead in the overall standings, Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm (FRA) are the clear favorites for overall victory. However, with 16 points still on the table – two at the Scoring Gate, seven for the stage win, and seven more for the Coastal Race in Boka Bay on September 20 – Meilhat and co-skipper Amélie Grassi (FRA) know all too well that they are far from home and dry.

And stepping in to replace Britain’s Sam Goodchild on board Biotherm is Spanish Mini sailor Carlos Manera.

“You don’t replace a Sam with another Sam!” Meilhat commented about the substitution. “Carlos has a different profile, but one that suits us perfectly. He ticks a lot of boxes: Mini sailor, foiling, experience both in crewed and solo sailing.

“The solo sailing aspect is essential, because with four people on an IMOCA, everyone needs a high level of autonomy. Carlos is very versatile, and the idea is also not to put pressure on him but to keep him confident.

“For this leg, it will therefore naturally be Amélie who takes on the responsibility for navigation and strategy.”

Overall Results (after four legs):

Details: https://www.theoceanrace.com

The entrants feature a team of five, representing at least two nationalities, with at least one female crew member, bringing together solo round‑the‑world veterans, rising offshore talent, and onboard reporters to share the experience.

The 5-leg race started August 10 from Kiel, Germany with the 850-nautical mile opening Leg to Portsmouth, England. Leg 2 sees the fleet race 1,400 nautical miles to Caragena, Spain – via a fly-by in Matosinhos / Porto in Portugal. The 650-nautical mile third Leg through the Mediterranean finishes in Nice, France, before the fleet sets off on the planned-to-be 600-nautical mile fourth Leg to Genova, Italy. The approximately 1,000-nautical mile fifth and final Leg takes the crews into the Adriatic to the Race finish in Boka Bay in Montenegro.

Entry list:
Team Malizia (GER) – Boris Herrmann (GER)
Team Holcim – PRB (SUI) – Rosalin Kuiper (NED)
Team Paprec Arkéa (FRA) – Yoann Richomme (FRA)
Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive (CAN) – Scott Shawyer (CAN)
Allagrande Mapei Racing (ITA) – Ambrogio Beccaria (ITA)
Biotherm (FRA) – Paul Meilhat (FRA)
Team AMAALA (SUI/KSA) – Alan Roura (SUI)

Race facts:
• Distance: 4,500 nautical miles across five Legs.
• Yacht-Type: High-speed IMOCA 60s, capable of reaching 25+ knots.
• Crews: 4 sailors per boat, representing at least two nationalities and with at least one female crew member. And 1 onboard reporter.
• Nations represented: Germany, Switzerland, France, Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Great Britain, United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Brazil, Portugal.
• Historic firsts: First time racing into the Adriatic Sea and Montenegro finish.
• Tracking: Live GPS race tracker powered by ‘PredictWind’, with weather overlays and real-time routing.

The Ocean Race will begin again in 2027 using the IMOCA class boat, with two earlier events providing training and exposure to prospective teams. In 2025, The Ocean Race Europe will start on August 10 from Kiel, Germany and take a route south around the Iberian Peninsula and into the Mediterranean Sea. In 2026, The Ocean Race Atlantic will start in New York, USA and finish in Barcelona, Spain.

Source: TORE