Biotherm unstoppable in the Med
The Ocean Race 2025 continues to deliver gripping theatre, and Leg 2 The Ocean Race 2025 proved no exception. After a week of wild contrasts – from blasting through Gibraltar at 30 knots to drifting off the Spanish coast – Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm emerged once again as the benchmark team.
Crossing the Cartagena line at 02:53 UTC on Saturday morning, they completed the leg in five days, ten hours, and 53 minutes. More importantly, they secured maximum points, adding to their earlier wins at the scoring gate and in Matosinhos.
On the dock, the crew looked exhausted but elated. Their perfect record means they remain at the top of the leaderboard with a growing sense of authority.
Holcim-PRB fight back
Just under 90 minutes later, Holcim-PRB crossed the line at 04:19 UTC. For skipper Franck Cammas and his team, second place was more than a result – it was a statement of resilience. After setbacks earlier in the race, they fought through light airs and shifting breezes to secure 16 points across the leg.
Social media summed it up best: “💪 What a comeback! Team Holcim-PRB cross the line in 2nd place on Leg 2 of #TheOceanRaceEurope. Back in the Race and showing huge resilience with a brilliant performance in tough, light-wind conditions.”
For Cammas, the Med was never going to be easy.
“There’s always a chance for the boats behind to come back,” he had warned earlier in the week. In Cartagena, his words proved prophetic, though his team ultimately delivered when it counted.
Paprec Arkéa salvage third
For Paprec Arkéa, the finish was tinged with frustration. Having led much of the charge into the Mediterranean, they were becalmed offshore and watched their rivals slip ahead. Crossing the line in third at 06:37 UTC, Yoann Richomme’s crew could only reflect on missed opportunities.
It was a sense of déjà vu after Leg 1, where light winds by Dover cost them places. “We went from 25 knots to 4 knots in 10 seconds,” Richomme had said of the transition earlier this week. Cartagena proved similarly cruel. Still, they banked 12 valuable points and remain firmly in the hunt.
A Mediterranean classic
The leg reinforced the reputation of the Mediterranean as a place where no lead is safe. What began as a drag race turned into a tactical chess match. Boats that had been 100 miles adrift in Gibraltar cut the gap to within 35 miles, proof of how fast fortunes shift in patchy conditions.
The finish itself was a test of patience, with Biotherm tacking upwind in barely a whisper of breeze before finally nosing across the line. By dawn, the leading three were safely docked in Cartagena, greeted with cheers and relief after an unpredictable five days.
Looking ahead
With two legs down, Biotherm’s unbeaten streak makes them the team to beat in The Ocean Race 2025. Yet, as both Holcim-PRB and Paprec Arkéa know too well, the race is long and the Med has shown how quickly tables can turn.
The fleet now prepares for the next stage, eyes on weather charts and repair lists, determined to reset before the challenges ahead. For fans and sailors alike, the lesson is clear: in this race, it’s never over until the line is crossed.
