Leg 3's Sprint In The Mediterranean: Team Malizia Off To Nice In The Ocean Race Europe 2025
by Team Malizia 26 Aug 19:38 BST
Team Malizia and the rest of the fleet are off to Nice, France, in Leg 3 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 © Vincent Curutchet / The Ocean Race Europe 2025
After completing the longest leg of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, the fleet of seven IMOCA boats has set off on Leg 3, a fast and tactical sprint through the heart of the Mediterranean towards Nice, France.
With a varied condition course ahead, Team Malizia led by skipper Boris Herrmann, and a fresh crew of Loïs Berrehar, Cole Brauer, Francesca Clapcich, and onboard reporter Flore Hartout, is aiming to make the most of every mile on their way to the only French stopover of the race.
In the Spanish summer heat this Tuesday afternoon, the fleet of seven IMOCA boats waved goodbye to their shore teams and fans in Cartagena before taking the start of Leg 3 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025. At 15:00 local time (13:00 UTC), under hazy sunshine and 15-16 knots of east-northeasterly wind, the racing yachts set off on a fast and tactical 680-nautical mile sprint through the heart of the Mediterranean towards Nice, France.
"Our goal is always to achieve our full potential and to do as well as we can with this boat, the resources, and the team we have," commented skipper Boris Herrmann before the start. "This race seems tricky, so we need to stay in a good mood, keep the flow, and fight until the end. It won't be over until it's over, and there might be surprises at the finish."
The German is back onboard as skipper of Malizia - Seaexplorer for the remaining legs of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, racing in Leg 3 alongside co-skippers Loïs Berrehar (FRA), Cole Brauer (USA), Francesca Clapcich (ITA/USA), and onboard reporter Flore Hartout (FRA/NED). "We're happy with the strategy we made regarding crew changes, keeping fresh energy in every leg and having Will back fresh for the important final push," he adds. "Of course, we'll miss Will a lot; I already do. But it's also exciting to sail with young sailors like Frankie and Loïs, with whom I haven't sailed much yet. It feels like a new discovery and makes us stronger for the future."
"It was definitely a short stopover here in Cartagena," notes co-skipper Francesca Clapcich. "It's always a lot of work for the shore team, especially with so few days on the dock. There are events, partners, media, and fans to meet, but it's part of the game. We knew the Ocean Race Europe would be a sprint around Europe, both on the water and on land. It's been great so far, the village was full of people, the Spanish crowd loves seeing the boats and the offshore racing world, and we tried to rest. Now we are excited to get going!"
After focusing on taking a good start, which they did, the team set their sights on the Cabo de Palos Longitude scoring gate. They opted for a bold southern route, involving fewer manoeuvres than the rest of the fleet, which stayed closer to the coast. In the first two hours of upwind racing, it remained unclear who would reach the scoring gate first. In the end, the strategy did not pay off for Malizia - Seaexplorer, while Biotherm took the lead, scoring the maximum points possible since the start in Kiel. "We actually had a really nice shift to the right, playing the right side with more wind," commented Boris Herrmann after the gate. "It was close, and it could really have gone our way in a big way, but it didn't unfortunately."
The next opportunity to grab points will be at the arrival in Nice, but it won't be a direct Cartagena-to-Nice trip either. "Race management made a recent amendment to change the course a bit and push us into specific areas to lengthen it," says co-skipper Cole Brauer. "Without that, these IMOCA boats would've been in Nice in no time! We'll leave the Balearic Islands to starboard, head north, pass a waypoint near Saint-Tropez, sail down to the north of Corsica at Giraglia, then back up to Nice. I think the changes in the race course will make it interesting. I'm also excited to bring some new energy to the team, and I'm feeling confident we can bring home a podium finish, hopefully."
"There are two key points in terms of weather and strategy", explains co-skipper Loïs Berrehar, who is responsible for the navigation in this leg. "First, two small secondary low-pressure systems between here and the Balearic Islands: we'll have to cross them. Depending on how they move, it could be quick... or very slow, because there's no wind inside them. Then, in the second part, further north, we'll have the Tramontane, a strong wind coming from the Atlantic and down the French mountains. So the first half will be slower, the second half more full-on. This leg will probably be even more intense, and just because it's shorter doesn't mean it's easier. With the current weather, there's no chance of getting bored."
"Right now, we have a low-pressure system that we're unsure about", Boris Herrmann adds. "The models aren't very clear, and it could be an obstacle near Mallorca. The low might interfere there, and the strategy, whether to stay close to shore or go further out, is still uncertain. After Denia, there are still a few question marks about what happens afterward."
Francesca Clapcich, who grew up in a town on the Adriatic Sea, knows how tricky the Mediterranean can be: "I think many people underestimate it. We don't have massive weather systems like those coming from the middle of the Atlantic. Instead, it's lots of local effects, sea breezes, small pressure systems that change quickly. I think that's almost the best part of The Ocean Race Europe, to race in waters we don't often sail in, closer to the coast rather than fully offshore, and playing with the small shifts, pressures, sea breezes. It really makes you grow as a sailor. And in August, it's hot, life on board can be hard with all the maneuvers in high heat inside the cockpit. It's a completely different environment compared to a transatlantic or round-the-world race, but it's fun and special."
Loïs Berrehar adds: "It will also be my first time sailing in race mode with Boris. I'm looking forward to sharing this with him. I have every reason to believe we'll get on well, and I hope we'll perform just as well. Often, the two go hand in hand. I loved sailing with Frankie on the last leg and I'm glad to have her on board again this time. It's also my first race with Cole. In fact, there are a lot of new things for me: the boat, the format, still a bit the IMOCA in general, and the people... and I love that, it's great!"
The fleet's arrival in Nice marks the only French stopover of the race, and will be particularly special for Team Malizia, which was founded in Monaco. "Heading back to Nice feels a bit like coming home," details Boris Herrmann. "We were there earlier this year for the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) and for the christening of our research vessel, Malizia Explorer. As soon as we spot the coastline, that sense of familiarity will return. The waters around Nice lie so close to Monaco, and it truly feels like home waters to us. Over the past ten years, we've spent so much time here that seeing that stretch of coast always brings a special feeling." While fans are glued to the tracker, the French Riviera is preparing to welcome the fleet, with boats expected to arrive on Friday, 29 August 2025, after less than three days of racing.
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: EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, KPMG Germany, and the Yacht Club de Monaco. 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.