A glamorous departure from Nice
The fourth leg of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 began in classic Mediterranean fashion, with sparkling seas and sunshine setting the scene for a lively start off Nice. At 1700 local time, the IMOCA fleet powered away from the line, their Code Zeros pulling in a steady eight-knot breeze.
Holcim-PRB, skippered for this leg by France’s Nico Lunven, made the sharpest getaway at the pin end, while Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm launched cleanly from the windward side. Team Amaala made a bold choice to start on port tack, splitting from the pack immediately.
Just eight miles into the race, the first contest was settled: Biotherm led through the Monaco scoring gate to collect two points, with Holcim-PRB close behind to secure one. The rest of the fleet streamed past in tight formation, proof that the race to Genova would be fought metre by metre.
A tense first night at sea
The glamour quickly gave way to intensity. As forecast, the wind faded after sunset, leaving the fleet threading through patches of near calm along the French and Corsican coasts. For the sailors, concentration was everything: sail trim, positioning, and sheer patience became as important as raw speed.
Paprec Arkéa, with Yoann Richomme back as skipper, seized the initiative, edging into a slender lead by keeping the boat moving when others faltered. But the advantage was never safe. By dawn, Holcim-PRB, Biotherm, and Italy’s Allagrande Mapei had closed in once again, the top four boats separated by barely a handful of miles.
“We’ve been fighting since early evening in very little wind,” said Biotherm’s Amélie Grassi. “It wasn’t easy on the nerves, but staying close to the coast paid off for us.”
Approaching Bonifacio
By midday Monday, the leaders were pointing towards the Strait of Bonifacio, the notorious 11-kilometre passage between Corsica and Sardinia. Known for tricky shifts, currents, and sudden gusts, it could prove the defining feature of this 550-nautical mile leg.
Holcim-PRB held the narrowest of advantages on the tracker, though Biotherm, Paprec Arkéa, and Allagrande Mapei were all within striking range. The fleet behind—Team Malizia, Be Water Positive, and Team Amaala—trailed by around 20 miles, still close enough to pounce if conditions reshuffle the order.
Alan Roberts, aboard Holcim-PRB, summed up the mood: “We can see Corsica. The night has been good. Now it’s going to be about tacking, transitions, and keeping calm through the strait. Whoever gets out first will have a big advantage north to Genova.”
Looking ahead
The leg still has hundreds of miles to run, with plenty of twists in store. Beyond Bonifacio, the teams face the complexities of Mediterranean summer weather—light airs one moment, thunderstorms and waterspouts the next.
As Britain’s Pip Hare, sailing with Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive, observed: “Underneath Corsica is going to be interesting. If you arrive early, you could get hammered. If you arrive late, you might get nothing. It’s still all to play for.”
For Ambrogio Beccaria and Allagrande Mapei, the goal is simple: win into his home city of Genova. For Biotherm, it is about defending their overall lead. And for Holcim-PRB and Paprec Arkéa, tied close in the points table, every manoeuvre matters.
One thing is certain: the fleet’s battle into Genova will not be decided until the final miles.
