The fifth and final stage of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 came to a dramatic close in the early hours of Monday morning as Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm claimed victory in Leg 5 and confirmed their overall win in the event. The finish line off Boka Bay, Montenegro, capped a gruelling 1,600-nautical mile passage from Genova, Italy, and delivered suspense right up until the final miles.
A tense build up through the Adriatic
The fleet entered the Adriatic Sea overnight after crossing the Strait of Otranto, between Italy on the left and Albania on the right, marking the first time boats from The Ocean Race have competed in the Adriatic. From there, it was a straight fight north, with five boats still in contention. At the head, Biotherm held a slender advantage, chased by Paprec Arkéa, Team Holcim-PRB, Team Malizia, and Allagrande Mapei.
Conditions remained tricky, with light and shifty breezes keeping crews on constant alert. “You would think these are pretty steady conditions, but it is not easy,” admitted Holcim-PRB sailor Carolijn Brouwer, describing twenty to twenty five degree wind shifts and constant trimming. Malizia’s Will Harris echoed the challenge, “It is hard to keep the boat consistently fast. Very bouncy and not very much wind, so it’s hard to keep the boat consistently fast – it takes a lot of work.”
Meanwhile, Yoann Richomme’s Paprec Arkéa rolled the dice on a bold easterly route along the Albanian coast in search of fresher winds. The gamble created a massive split in the fleet, with the other leaders staying tight to the Italian shoreline. It was a high risk move that ultimately did not pay off.
The final sprint to Boka Bay
By Sunday evening, the race tightened. Biotherm led by around 15 miles with just eighty 85 miles to go, while Holcim-PRB and Malizia were locked in a cat and mouse duel only a mile apart. Behind them, Paprec Arkéa’s eastern strategy saw them slip back, leaving Ambrogio Beccaria’s Allagrande Mapei chasing from fifth.
The crews worked relentlessly through the shifting winds. With nightfall came the last push, and by 21:13 UTC, Biotherm crossed the line after seven days, eight hours, thirteen minutes, and thirty three seconds at sea. Their win secured not only maximum leg points but also the overall title of The Ocean Race Europe 2025.
Just over an hour later, at 22:32 UTC, Rosalin Kuiper’s Holcim-PRB crossed in second, an all important result to keep them alive in the fight for the overall podium. Team Malizia finished at 23:27 UTC, less than an hour later, rounding out the leg podium.
Leaderboard at the finish
| # | Team | Status / speed | Finish / DTF | DTL | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biotherm | Finished | Sep 14 21:13 UTC | – | Overall race winner |
| 2 | Team Holcim-PRB | Finished, 5.7 kt | Sep 14 22:32 UTC | – | Critical second place |
| 3 | Team Malizia | Finished, 5.5 kt | Sep 14 23:27 UTC | – | Less than an hour behind |
| 4 | Allagrande Mapei Racing | 24.0 kt | 13.9 nm DTF | 0.0 nm | Still racing |
| 5 | Team Paprec Arkéa | 14.5 kt | 19.6 nm DTF | 5.6 nm | Eastern gamble cost places |
| 6 | Be Water Positive | 9.9 kt | 270.8 nm DTF | 256.9 nm | Under pressure from AMAALA |
| 7 | Team AMAALA | 10.4 kt | 276.8 nm DTF | – | Closed more than 100 nm |
Podium joy and hard fought battles
Behind the top three, Allagrande Mapei and Paprec Arkéa continued their fight for fourth in the final miles, while Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive faced a late charge from Team Amaala, which had closed a deficit of more than one hundred miles down to just thirteen miles in twenty four hours.
For Biotherm, any podium finish would have been enough to secure the overall trophy, but their victory on the water ensured the title was theirs in style. “It has been the full Mediterranean package,” said co skipper Benjamin Ferré. “Light winds, strong winds, transitions, but we believed in our strategy, and it paid off.”
A fitting finale
By the time dawn broke over Montenegro, Boka Bay was alive with celebration. The Ocean Live Park in Tivat welcomed the fleet to cheers and applause, marking the end of a month long adventure that began in Kiel, Germany.
The 2025 edition of The Ocean Race Europe delivered every ingredient of offshore drama, bold gambles, close quarters battles, sleepless nights, and champagne sailing. In the end, it was Biotherm who held their nerve to write the final chapter in Boka Bay.
