Paul Meilhat and Biotherm set to compete in The Ocean Race Europe
by Biothern 6 May 02:42 PDT
10 August 2025
Biotherm set for the The Ocean Race Europe © Anne Beaugé
A little over three months after securing 5th place in the Vendée Globe, Paul Meilhat is preparing to set sail for new horizons.
Indeed, on 10 August, Biotherm will take the start of The Ocean Race Europe, a 40-day sprint split into 5 legs embracing northern and southern Europe. In this his main focus of the season, Paul will be supported by an elite international crew.
Above and beyond
France boasts such a packed schedule of offshore sailing events that its sailors could easily content themselves with crossing swords on domestic waters season after season. However, the outstanding vitality of this sport, a cultural speciality of France, should not prevent them from venturing beyond their national borders. Traditionally, sailing has been synonymous with voyaging, exploration and an outward-looking perspective. In 2023, Biotherm participated in The Ocean Race, a crewed round the world race with stopovers. The Ocean Race Europe is its counterpart of sorts: 5 legs from northern to southern Europe, between Germany (Kiel), the United Kingdom (Portsmouth), Spain (Cartagena) via Portugal (Fly-by Matosinhos-Porto), France (Nice) and Italy (Genoa), with an unprecedented finish in Montenegro. The race consists of a series of short legs, navigating the vagaries of the summer weather, coastal sections and some virtually landlocked seas, resulting in an intense sailing programme supported by a logistical marathon on land. It's the kind of challenge that Paul Meilhat loves and he intends to deliver a stellar performance. "It's a very powerful, very energising, very team-centred dynamic. We are well-acquainted with the race's structure and organisation. What's more, this summer, we have the means at our disposal to secure a good result in this format, which aligns well with our abilities and the potential of the boat."
'A team of winners'
Biotherm underwent a refit shortly after her return to Les Sables d'Olonne and has been thoroughly checked and optimised: bulb modification, weight reduction, replacement of all the worn parts and new sails. She will be relaunched on 27 May.
To ensure the blue boat performs well from the Baltic to the Adriatic Sea, Paul Meilhat has assembled "a big team of winners, fighting machines with Figaro sailor profiles, who will enable us to pack real punch out on the racetrack, be key contenders in this race and tell a great story."
'The star cast': (the name of the 4th co-partner will be announced shortly)
Amélie Grassi, (FRA) 31 years old, experienced sailor (Mini, Class40, IMOCA, Ultim) with whom Paul has already contested a crewed round the world, will be the co-skipper. "She is very familiar with the IMOCA Biotherm, the shore team and the format of this race, plus she is incredibly organised. I'm going to rely on her a great deal! She will also be in charge of the performance and the data, an area she's honed this year with the Ultim SVR."
Jackson Bouttell, (GBR/AUS), 34 years old, double champion of The Ocean Race and the first edition of The Ocean Race Europe is "a kind of champion par excellence and the perfect crew. He has extensive knowledge of IMOCAs and is used to switching from one boat to another. He'll bring all his energy to the fore over the first two legs."
Benjamin Ferré, (FRA), 34 years old, skipper of Monnoyeur, a Mini sailor and Vendée Globe finisher (19th), is the least 'capped' member of the crew on paper, "but he has an astonishing profile because his methodology is outside the box and he's impossible to pigeonhole. He has a great feel for things. His freshness and his enthusiasm will be invaluable during the Mediterranean legs."
Sharing values
The Ocean Race Europe perfectly aligns with Biotherm's mission to advocate for ocean protection in harmony with Paul Meilhat's project: "It's a topic which is central to the organisation of this event and we will be able to make our voice heard at every stopover." The onboard microscope, which took thousands of images of plankton during the Vendée Globe will continue its research throughout the course.
The Programme:
June in Sandhamn
In late June, by way of a prelude to The Ocean Race Europe, Biotherm and her crew will compete in the Gotland Runt (347-mile sprint around the island of Gotland), a legendary event in the Baltic Sea, which has been contested since the 1930s and gathers together over 250 boats.
- 27 May: Launch of Biotherm
- First week of June: Daysails
- Second week of June: 48hr sea passage
- 15 June: Set sail on delivery trip to Sandhamn - Sweden.
- 29 June: Start of the Gotland Runt
- Early July: Delivery to Kiel, Germany
- July: Holidays and then the return to Kiel / L'Echappée Bleue sports and education projects with kids
- 10 August - 21 September: The Ocean Race Europe. 5 legs between Kiel (Germany), Portsmouth (United Kingdom), Cartagena (Spain) via a course mark at Porto - Fly-by Matosinhos-Porto (Portugal), Nice (France), Genoa (Italy) and the Bay of Kotor (Montenegro)
- Early October: Biotherm returns to Lorient, Brittany
Quotes:
Amélie Grassi: "I'm thrilled to be the co-skipper! The Ocean Race Europe is quite the sprint, with little respite, so the idea is to form a genuine partnership with Paul, where we're interchangeable both on the water and ashore, so that each of us has a chance to take a breather. I'm going to start working with the team from mid-May to refit the boat, prepare the sea passage and begin working on the data collected during the Vendée Globe. We have a fantastic, light, quick boat, which is perfect for the coastal elements, plus we have a dynamic crew so we have all we need to perform well!"
Jackson Bouttell (over the first two legs): "We all know each other within the team and Sam is a mate I did the Jules Verne Trophy with. I am really familiar with the race format, the organisation and the way of doing things. It involves a lot of technology, logistics and people management. Just to take part in the race will involve a race against the clock to prepare everything. I'll be sure to step up to the plate and bring along some fresh ideas, motivation, performance goals and perhaps my little Anglo-Saxon aspect."
Benjamin Ferré (over the last three legs): "I think it's extraordinary to find myself on this boat with these sailors and to get the chance to discover crewed sailing, a new way of approaching the weather and new seas. I'm keen to be a good team player with good sense, and share my enthusiasm and my energy with the intention of doing things properly without taking myself too seriously."