Team Malizia Sets Off on The Ocean Race Europe 2025's Longest Leg 2

Skipper Will Harris and co-skippers Francesca Clapcich and Loïs Berrehar during the Sailors Parade ahead of Leg 2 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 © Jean-Louis Carli / The Ocean Race Europe

After only four days in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, Team Malizia has set sail in Leg 2 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025. Starting this Sunday 17 August afternoon at 17:00 from the iconic Royal Yacht Squadron line off of Cowes, the fleet of seven IMOCA boats is now racing 1,400 nautical miles to Cartagena, Spain, with a Fly-By stop at Matosinhos/Porto, Portugal. As the longest leg of the race, with double points on the line, every decision and mile will be crucial. Onboard Malizia - Seaexplorer, the crew skippered by Will Harris is aiming to put in another strong performance. The fleet is expected to arrive in Cartagena on 23 August after six days of racing.

As the gun went off, Team Malizia took a conservative start in 10-14 knots of breeze but soon made their way to second place as the fleet headed west along the Solent. Lead by British sailor Will Harris, the crew composed of co-skippers Francesca Clapcich, Loïs Berrehar, and Justine Mettraux, as well as onboard reporter Flore Hartout, hoped to use Will Harris' local knowledge to exit the Solent in the front pack of the fleet. With both spinnakers up, Team Malizia and leader Biotherm raced along the south side of the course, while the rest of the fleet stayed closer to the north shore. A favourable tide swept the fleet down the Solent, setting the scene for a fast and dramatic start to what promises to be a tactically demanding leg. The first two points went to Biotherm, who passed the Needles and scoring gate first and extended their overall lead following their victory in Leg 1.

"Leaving the Solent is always special, it's home waters for me", says Will Harris, the only British skipper in this edition of the race. "It's amazing to see the crowd supporting us and wishing us well off the Royal Yacht Squadron line. It's a very famous starting point and I first experienced The Ocean Race here back when it was the Volvo Ocean Race. I came with my parents in 2005 to watch the skippers. Now, 20 years later, I'm here as skipper of one of these boats. That sends little shivers down my spine sometimes."

Skipper Boris Herrmann and co-skipper Cole Brauer are sitting out this leg as planned, making the most of the bigger squad to rotate sailors, manage energy, and trial different crew setups with The Ocean Race 2027 in mind. "I couldn't think of a better team for this leg", comments Boris Herrmann. "Will knows these waters perfectly, having just won the Admiral's Cup here. Together with Justine, Loïs, and Francesca, who all know the Atlantic and Mediterranean well, I feel really solid about them. I'm looking forward to welcoming them in Spain, hopefully with a strong result and maybe even a leg win."

Will Harris adds: "We've got 50% new crew this time. Justine is back as navigator, we work really well together, bouncing tactical ideas off each other. Francesca is joining us; she's already an Ocean Race winner and brings huge experience and a great crew mindset. And we've got Loïs, a very strong French sailor with a great Figaro background. He knows these Western European waters inside out and is fantastic tactically. I'm excited to see what we can achieve against six very competitive teams. It's also great to see Team Holcim-PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing rejoin the fleet after repairing the damages to their boats. Truly a huge effort, and fantastic to have them on the start line for Leg 2."

"Even though it was a tight first leg, and we had only four days to recover and prepare for the next stage, I feel good", says Justine Mettraux. "There's still a little bit of fatigue, but that's part of the game when you're racing back-to-back. I'm feeling ready. The second-place result from Leg 2 definitely gives us energy. It was a strong start and a good confidence boost for the overall race. Getting that result and fighting for every place motivates us all to do well in the next stage."

As Leg 2 will test the teams with a wide mix of conditions, Will Harris points out: "The Solent is always a challenge. You can win or lose many miles depending on your strategy. Conditions look strong tonight with fast downwind sailing toward northwest France, which really suits Malizia. The challenge will be getting through the light winds in the Bay of Biscay, then along the Portuguese coast where we'll likely see strong northwesterlies again. After that, heading into the Med, it could be anything, light or strong winds, so sail choice and adaptability will be key. It's tactical and full of opportunities, which I really enjoy."

Francesca Clapcich, agrees: "After following Leg 1 from home on the tracker, it feels great to finally be on board. It was amazing to watch the team last week, and now the pressure is on to deliver the same result or better. Leg 2 will be fun, with very different conditions, and I'm really looking forward to giving it everything. Of course, it's a long leg with double points at stake, but for me the approach stays the same: focus on performance. If we do the right things from start to finish, the result will take care of itself."

She adds: "I've spent time in Portsmouth before, and I'm also looking forward to arriving in Spain, where I've lived for a few years. The leg will be full of transitions and mixed conditions, long and tiring, but also very exciting." As the fleet exits the Solent, the main challenge will be crossing a zone of light winds off the Brittany coast. "The boats that reach it first will gain a bit of an advantage", explains Justine Mettraux. "So we'll need to navigate the opening part of the course well and make the right decisions to get through it quickly."

Co-skipper Loïs Berrehar brings Figaro and offshore racing experience, which he hopes will help during this leg's many tactical transitions. "The crew is very experienced, so I'll also learn a lot," he says. "I'll share my input with humility while observing and learning. The Brittany and Portuguese coasts are familiar, but entering and leaving Porto can be tricky, so it's important not to underestimate it." He adds: "Joining this crew is fantastic. I'm discovering new ways of working and improving my English after seven years racing Figaros in France. It's a great opportunity to grow, both in sailing and in language. There's so much to learn, and I'm excited for it all."

As the boats arrive in Matosinhos/Porto, a three-hour countdown will begin. Crews will head ashore for interviews with media and partners before the final push into the Mediterranean and the finish in Cartagena. Half of the Leg 2 points will be awarded based on fleet positions at the Matosinhos Porto Fly-By, while the remaining 50% will be decided at the finish in Spain. The official Leg finishing positions (not points) will be those recorded at Cartagena. With a total of 16 points up for grabs, the teams have plenty to play for.

While Team Malizia navigates Leg 2, they are also excited to contribute to Ocean science. The team is continuously running their OceanPack throughout the race to collect valuable Ocean CO2, temperature and salinity data. Additionally, they will deploy a prototype science buoy in the Bay of Biscay. Smaller, lighter, and more affordable than traditional drifter buoys, it measures sea currents by sending GPS positions via satellite as it floats along. Amid the racing action and scientific work, onboard reporter Flore Hartout will capture it all, sharing Team Malizia's journey in The Ocean Race Europe with fans worldwide.

Team Malizia's A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its eight main partners: Schütz, KPMG Germany, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, and Hapag-Lloyd. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions.

Malizia - Seaexplorer setting sail in Leg 2 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 - photo © Marie Lefloch | Team Malizia