Status: 15.08.2025 8:34 a.m.
A spectacular, partly tragic start in Kiel and a gripping fight for the podium in front of Portsmouth: Biotherm won the first stage of the Ocean Race Europe in 2025. Boris Herrmann from Hamburg’s global canal sailor grabbed second place with the Malizia – Seaexplorer thanks to a strong finish.
The last names of the first stage really had it right again. The race management had quickly extended the start of 60 nautical miles (around 110 kilometers) on Wednesday evening on Wednesday evening. The fleet had to turn a few loops around buoys in front of Portsmouth.
Meilhat: “Great satisfaction to have won this race”
Biotherm nevertheless could not take the start-finish victory, after 3 days, 19 hours, 58 minutes and 30 seconds crossed the finish line and won seven points. “It is a great satisfaction to have won this race. I already had the feeling in Kiel that the crew, the team and the boat were ready. We are in good hands,” said Skipper Paul Meilhat.
The Malizia around Skipper Boris Herrmann went third into the final roundabout off the southern English coast and used the extra rounds for a clever overtaking maneuver.
Herrmann, Will Harris, Cole Brauer and Justine Mettraux received competitor Paprec Arkéa and after 3 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes and 50 seconds secured second place in front of the French team of Skipper Yoann Richomme. In the end it was just a good seven minutes ahead for the Malizia in front of Paprec Arkéa (3 days, 22 hours, 2 minutes and 14 seconds).
Herrmann: “Fantastic Day for us”
“It was a fantastic day for us,” said Herrmann and co-skipper Harris: “It is a really hard fleet out there, everyone goes full throttle all the time,” said the Brit, proud of the Malizia team: “The fact that we were the only boat that could overtake another in my opinion shows that we have fighting spirit.”
Richomme “very disappointed”
“We played tactically and badly in the choice of sailing, and they managed to get through,” Paprec Arkéa-Kipper Yoann Richomme admitted: “That was a mistake by mine. I was pretty tired at that time and I was very disappointed today.”
Biotherm leads with nine points
With nine points, Biotherm now leads the overall ranking of the regatta. Paul Meilhat’s team had already secured two points at the first mark at the start in Kiel. Behind it are the Malizia (six points for second place on the first stage) and Paprec Arkéa (five points for third place and one point from the score in front of Kiel) with six points each.
Team Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive with Skipper Scott Shawyer came in fourth place. The Amaala team with skipper Alan Roura reached the finish on Thursday evening as the fifth boat. The second stage of Portsmouth to Cartagena in Spanish over 1,400 nautical miles starts on Sunday (5:55 p.m. CEST).
Holcim – PRB and Mapei on the go to Portsmouth
Then Holcim – PRB and Allagrand Mapei Racing also want to be there again. The collision of both teams overshadowed the start in Kiel last Sunday. Both boats were badly damaged and had to return to the port immediately.
After intensive repairs day and night, in which a huge hole in the fuselage had to be closed, the Holcim-ImoCa has now broken up to Portsmouth on Thursday evening. The Swiss boat left Kiel towards England at 10:30 p.m. and is expected to arrive in Portsmouth late on Saturday or Sunday.
Lunven: “We are really happy”
“We are really happy to take part in the race. Even if we missed the first stage, we are just as well prepared as in Kiel, and we can’t wait to get back into the fleet and step back,” said co-skipper Nicolas Lunven. Via the North Ostsee Canal, the IMOCA will complete the approximately 500 nautical miles with two members of the Holcim sailing crew, two members of the technical team and a local reporter.
The Mapei team around Skipper Ambrogio Beccaria Stach stood in sail in the direction of Portsmouth at 5 a.m. on Friday morning. The next, longest stage of the Ocean Race Europe will be rated twice.
Video:
Ocean Race Update – Talk with Tim Kröger (29 min)
