On August 14, 2025, French skipper Paul Meilhat and his Team Biotherm crossed the finish line first in Portsmouth, clinching victory in Leg 1 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025. From the moment the fleet departed Kiel, Germany, Biotherm established control and never let go, navigating complex coastal waters, light-air transitions, and intense tactical battles. But what unfolded behind them made this opening leg an unforgettable start to the six-week offshore marathon.
The start of Leg 1 was marred by a dramatic collision within the first mile of racing. In a chaotic and congested start, two of the race’s top contenders—Italy’s Allagrande MAPEI and Switzerland’s Holcim PRB—collided violently, forcing both boats to return to port for urgent repairs. The damage was extensive. Allagrande MAPEI was left with a torn J0 headsail, a shredded mainsail, and significant structural damage to the starboard rigging and chainplate.
Repairing the chainplate even required dismantling the internal ballast system. Holcim PRB sustained even worse damage, and while both crews were unharmed, their hopes for Leg 1 were over within minutes. Both teams have filed formal protests against one another, with hearings scheduled during the Cartagena stopover after Leg 2.
Meanwhile, five other IMOCA 60s pressed on toward the UK. Biotherm immediately showed its coastal racing prowess, leveraging sharp boat handling and decisive maneuvers to break away from the fleet. By the Kiel Lighthouse Scoring Gate, they were already in front, followed closely by Paprec Arkéa, with Canada’s Be Water Positive team in third. Team Malizia, recovering from a furling drum issue just after the start, trailed in fourth, with Team Amaala rounding out the fleet in fifth.
The early stages of Leg 1 were defined by tight, nearshore sailing, heavy shipping traffic, and unpredictable winds. Amélie Grassi, trimmer for Biotherm, described the relentless intensity: “The coastline was so close, the wind kept shifting, and the buoys and traffic meant we barely had time to sleep.”
As the fleet entered the North Sea, wind conditions dropped into single digits, offering a brief reprieve. Crews grabbed much-needed rest before a southeast wind picked up, bringing 20-knot breezes and resetting the tempo. Biotherm took full advantage. Of the boats tipped to perform well in light airs—Biotherm, Holcim PRB, and Allagrande MAPEI—only Biotherm remained in the race, and their dominance showed.
While the leaders surged ahead, the trailing teams suffered in the remnants of a high-pressure ridge. Team Amaala, in particular, struggled against a relentless current, their speed falling to just 3 knots. Still, skipper Alan Roura kept spirits high. “To tell you the truth, we’re doing like 20,000 tacks with no wind and current against us,” he said, grinning. “At least now we know how to tack in every possible condition!”
The race entered a critical and complex phase as the boats approached the English Channel. The narrowing passage, squeezed between restricted zones and coastline, left just 3.3 nautical miles of room in some sections. A persistent southwest breeze made for brutal upwind sailing, with frequent tacks necessary just to make headway.
With less than ideal visibility and challenging currents near Dover, every team had to grind through night after night of relentless manoeuvres. On Biotherm, the pace was punishing. “We wouldn’t get more than 30 minutes without a maneuver,” Meilhat explained. One night, a rogue squall suddenly increased their boat speed from 5 knots to 25 knots before spinning the wind in circles. “We had to drop and re-hoist everything fast. It was chaos—but we managed not to break anything.”
Just when it seemed the finish was in sight, race management extended the course by 60 nautical miles, adding a two-lap loop near Bembridge Ledge off the Isle of Wight. But Biotherm held firm, unshaken by the twist, and secured a wire-to-wire win with maximum points.
Further back, a gripping duel played out between Paprec Arkéa and Team Malizia for second place. Paprec Arkéa had held the position since the Kiel scoring gate, but as the boats approached Dover, Malizia made a daring tactical shift—abandoning the mid-channel route to hug the British coastline. It was a high-risk move; close to land, wind shadows are common, and the breeze can vanish entirely. But the plan worked. Malizia caught a favorable current and dramatically closed the gap.
“We’re doing 8.2 knots and they’re stuck at 1.9,” said Malizia’s co-skipper Cole Brauer. “Now we’re the hunters.”
Throughout the night, the two teams traded tacks in a tightly fought duel. Paprec Arkéa tried to defend by mirroring each maneuver, but Malizia pulled off a critical gybe that allowed them to break free and overtake.
“It was an amazing morning,” said Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann. “We hoisted the kite and realized we could sail deeper with it than they could with their sail. That’s how we got ahead.”
This daring move made Malizia the only team in Leg 1 to successfully overtake a competitor after falling behind—a testament to their strategic depth and execution under pressure.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Be Water Positive team found themselves navigating in thick fog near Dover, with visibility dropping below 30 meters. “We can barely see past the bow,” said skipper Pip Hare. “It’s just a grey curtain all around us.” Relying heavily on AIS, radar, and the OSCAR infrared system, they pushed through one of the most difficult stretches of the race.
As Biotherm celebrated a commanding win, Allagrande MAPEI was back on the water, sailing toward Portsmouth to rejoin the fleet. After four grueling days of non-stop repairs, they’re back in the fight. Holcim PRB, still working on final fixes, remains uncertain for the next leg, but team sources remain optimistic.
Looking ahead, the second leg of The Ocean Race Europe kicks off on Sunday, August 17. The fleet will depart Portsmouth and face the longest leg of the race—a 1,400-nautical mile stretch to Cartagena, Spain. If Leg 1 was any indication, Leg 2 promises more drama, tactical brilliance, and moments that could reshape the leaderboard entirely.
What began with chaos and a crash is now a race of resurgence, precision, and perseverance. With the fleet pushing forward and wounded teams preparing for redemption, the battle across Europe’s most iconic waters is just heating up.