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Will Harris

Justine Mettraux

Francesca Clapcich

Loïs Berrehar

Flore Hartout

We compete on the highest level in the toughest races, inspire action & create awareness and highlight solutions to the climate crisis.

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This Sunday afternoon, Malizia – Seaexplorer, skippered by Boris Herrmann, set sail on Leg 1 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, covering approximately 850 nautical miles from Kiel, Germany, to Portsmouth, United Kingdom. The race got underway in bright sunshine with a brisk westerly breeze, creating fast, flat-water foiling conditions. The atmosphere in Kiel was electric, with enthusiastic fans lining the shoreline and numerous spectator boats cheering on the home team as they departed from their home waters.

The Ocean Race Europe 2025 is officially underway. Today at 15:45 local time (13:45 UTC), under bright sunshine and steady 15–20 knot winds, 

 in the 4,500-nautical-mile crewed race around Europe. Departing from Boris Herrmann’s home waters in Kiel, Germany, the fleet of IMOCA teams will sail approximately 850 nautical miles to Portsmouth, United Kingdom, with the finish expected on Thursday.

 IMOCA yacht, Team Malizia’s line-up for Leg 1 features skipper 

. After the Sailor’s Parade, the crew departed Kiel surrounded by teammates, friends, family, and thousands of fans cheering them off the dock. “It’s incredibly emotional to start the race here in Kiel”, said 

. “It’s one of my home towns and where my sailing career began. The energy from all the people cheering us on is amazing. I’m really grateful to everyone who has come out to celebrate this beautiful sport with us, especially as Kiel shines with such international attention.”

, the race will bring the action to iconic ports and coastlines: from Kiel to Portsmouth, then via a fly-by in Matosinhos-Porto, Portugal, to Cartagena, Spain; Nice, France; Genova, Italy; before the grand finale in Boka Bay, Montenegro in six weeks. Crowds packed the Kiellinie and filled the water in extraordinary numbers to send off the fleet, creating a buzzing atmosphere in Kiel.

The opening leg will test the sailors immediately, with navigation through the Baltic Sea’s narrow channels, busy shipping lanes, strong currents, and traffic separation zones. “We are going to start with a really nice 15–20 knots of breeze and reaching conditions,” explained 

 earlier today. “The weather situation is pretty clear for the start and the first day, with the boats going to be really fast until we get to the top of Denmark.” 

 added: “Then the North Sea is a whole different game. We’ve got a high-pressure ridge, light winds, and need to figure out the best strategy for arriving at the UK coastline. It’s all going to be up in the air until the very end.”

At the start, skipper Boris Herrmann helmed 

 while Justine Mettraux trimmed the headsails, calling precise adjustments to keep the boat fast and balanced. Will Harris, operating the navigation software, relayed crucial positioning data to the crew and worked in the pit with Cole Brauer on the pedestal, ropes, and winches to deliver rapid sail changes. Onboard reporter Flore Hartout captured the atmosphere and streamed it live for fans around the world. 

reflected on the challenges and excitement of racing as part of a team: “The hardest part will definitely be learning to use my voice. Normally I do manoeuvres completely silently, but now I need to communicate with Boris, Justine, and Will, telling them how the boat feels and what I think we should change. It’s exciting; my mind is racing right now. I’m nervous, but in a good way. We’ve been discussing this route for the last five days, and now it’s time to get going, to break away from the start line, and to take in the beauty of this incredible environment.”

The start was a spectacular sight: seven IMOCA boats lining up in 15–20 knots of breeze, each trying to get the best position and aiming to be first to the scoring gate only a few miles away, which Biotherm ultimately managed, securing two points in the process. Spectator boats formed long lines along the race course, cheering as the IMOCAs sped past flying on their foils. The action quickly turned dramatic when Allagrande Mapei Racing and Team Holcim-PRB collided shortly after the start. Both crews are safe, returned to the dock to assess damage and decide on next steps. Team Malizia are keeping Allagrande Mapei Racing and Team Holcim-PRB in their thoughts and offered support if needed as both teams manage the situation.

At the time of this release, Team Malizia is racing in third place. After a fast stretch in windy conditions, the fleet is now sailing in calmer, flat waters along the coast.

Beyond racing, Team Malizia continues to champion its mission 

A Race We Must Win – Climate Action Now!

, combining high-level sport with science and education. Onboard, they operate a mini-laboratory measuring ocean CO₂, oxygen, temperature, and salinity, contributing vital data to climate research. They also kicked off their latest 

 events in Kiel, inspiring local children with hands-on activities and environmental education. During the stopover, Team Malizia engaged in a full schedule of activities, from partner events and boat tours to exhibitions and speaking engagements at the GEOMAR and The Ocean Race’s Ocean Summit, all while connecting with their homebase fans. Now, the team sets its sights firmly on Portsmouth as leg one unfolds.

mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its 

: MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, KPMG Germany, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, and  Kuehne+Nagel. 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.

Team Malizia’s crew for Leg 1 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025:

Flore Hartout (FRA/NED) - Onboard reporter

Co-skippers Cole Brauer and Justine Mettraux during this morning's final weather briefing

Co-skippers Cole Brauer and Justine Mettraux during this morning's final weather briefing ©️ Flore Hartout | Team Malizia