Status: 05.08.2025 12:01 p.m.
The Ocean Race Europe will be held for the second time in 2025. The start is on Sunday (August 10) in Kiel (live in the NDR). There are numerous stars of the Hochsee sailing sport, including Boris Herrmann with the Malizia team and the second of the Vendée Globe, Yoann Richomme.
What is the Ocean Race Europe?
The Ocean Race Europe is the “little brother” of Ocean Race and – as the name says – is only held in Europe. It takes place for the second time in 2025, the premiere was four years ago.
As with Ocean Race, the most important team regatta in international sailing, teams start at the European version and complete stages that are evaluated individually.
A crew consists of four sailors and an on-board reporter. At least one woman has to belong to each team. In addition, two nationalities must be represented. Seven teams have reported.
The race in the tracker:
What class is being sailed in?
Boats of the IMOCA class (International Monohull Open Class Association) take part in the Ocean Race. The flurded boats have a maximum ram length of 60 feet (18.28 meters), a maximum of 4.5 meters depth and 29 meters high masts. They are designed for the university sailing.
The so-called foils are particularly special for many high-performance imocas; Wear areas, thanks to which the boat rises from the water from the front of a certain speed and really gets to fly.
It is mandatory that the teams on the stages generate 30 percent of their energy used on board from renewable sources (solar, wind, water).
What role does Kiel play for the Ocean Race Europe 2025?
In Kiel, where more than 100,000 spectators celebrated the victory of the “Illbruck” in 2002, the race will be started on August 10th. The NDR transfers the parade of the skipper live on TV as well as in the live stream at NDR.de and in the ARD media library from 1:15 p.m. (90 minutes). From 3:30 p.m. (from 4 p.m. web exclusive; until 5 p.m.) there will also be the start live.
The Ocean Live Park in Kiel opens on August 6th, a day later a “fan day” takes place on the fjord. On August 8th and 9th, two days follow with IMOCA speed runs on short distances before the regatta begins on Sunday.
How does the route go?
The total distance is 4,500 nautical miles (8,334 kilometers). The first stage leads to the English south coast in Portsmouth.
Then follows the longest part, in which the participants of Portsmouth first south and finally sailing through the street from Gibraltar to Cartagena in Spain-including a fly-by maneuver in Matosinhos/Porto in Portugal.
Then it continues through the Mediterranean to Nice, followed by a “sprint” to Genoa. The last stage then leads the sailors into the Adriatic and the goal: Boka Bay in Montenegro.
Video:
The Ocean Race Europe – The route (2 min)
How is the Ocean Race Europe evaluated?
At the Ocean Race Europe, each stage is evaluated individually. The winner of a section gets as many points as teams at the start. With seven starters, seven points, the second six, etc. The last -placed team gets a counter.
If a crew does not end a stage – or not even starting – it does not get a point.
The second stage from Portsmouth to Cartagena is the longest of the race and is evaluated with a double score. 50 percent of the points are awarded based on the placement at Fly-by in Matosinhos/Porto, the other half based on target placement in Cartagena.
In addition to the counters for the individual stages, there are bonus points during the race – each for the two teams, who are the first to cross a certain marking shortly after the start of the racing. The first boat gets two points, the second one counter. In Kiel at the Ocean Race start, this marking is located at the level of the lighthouse.
In Boka Bay, there is also a short regatta near the coast after the end of the five stages, which is to be held on September 20 and how a single stage is evaluated.
After completing this coastal race, the winner of the Ocean Race Europe 2025 is determined.
With whom Boris Herrmann sails at Ocean Race Europe?
As with the Ocean Race 2023, the Englishman will be Harris Herrmann’s co-skipper. He will also represent the six -time circumnavigator from Hamburg if he misses stages.
The American Cole Brauer is new to the team: The 30-year-old was brought to the Malizia team at the beginning of the year. The Swiss Justine Mettraux, who caused eighth place at the Vendée Globe and, as a best -placed woman, also caused a stir, is part of the crew. The Frenchman Lois Berrehar is one of the most hopeful young sailors in the offshore area.
The Personnel Francesca Clapcich is interesting: with the Italian, Herrmann practically brought his successor on board. The Italian bought the Malizia-Seaexplorer with the support of 11th Hour Racing for her own Vendée Globe campaign and will take over the IMOCA yacht after the Ocean Race Europe ended. Herrmann builds a new boat for his Vendée plans.
Antoine Auriol and Flore Hartout were nominated as on board reporters.
Who is still starting at Ocean Race Europe?
In addition to Herrmann’s team Malizia, six other crews have registered for the Ocean Race Europe: Team Paprec Arkéa is led by Yoann Richomme, who took second place at this year’s Vendée Globe behind winners Charlie Dalin.
Chief skipper at Holcim-PrB is the Dutchman Rosalin Kuiper, who was still part of the Malizia crew in the Ocean Race 2023. Biotherm has another prominent Vendée participant (5th place) as a crew boss in Paul Meilhat.
In addition, the Canadian team Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water will start with Scott Shawyer and the popular British Pip Hare and Allagrand Mapei Racing (Italy) around Ambrogio Beccaria.
As a seventh team, Amaala, a Saudi Arabic and Swiss campaign with the Swiss Alan Roura, reported as a skipper.
