Allagrande Mapei Ready to Set Sail Again for The Ocean Race Europe
by Allagrande MAPEI Racing 14 Aug 2025 09:00 PDT
14 August 2025
After four intense days of repairs, doubts, and relentless teamwork, Ambrogio Beccaria's IMOCA Allagrande Mapei is ready to head to Portsmouth for the start of the second leg of The Ocean Race Europe.
Since the collision on Sunday, 10 August, the Allagrande Mapei team—supported by TR Racing—has had to replace, repair, and organize a complex logistics operation to bring in equipment from Lorient or source it locally in Kiel. While some repairs were quick, others required advanced technical work, leading to moments of uncertainty about whether they could resume racing.
"We suffered quite a bit of damage," explains Ambrogio Beccaria. "The most visible was the J0 headsail—but in reality, that was almost the easiest part: it's irreparable, so we simply took another J0. The mainsail was dismantled and repaired—that was also relatively straightforward. But then we broke the entire starboard rigging: the outrigger, the D0 stay, the D1 shroud, and the D2 shroud. The shrouds couldn't be repaired, so we had to replace them all. The outrigger was repairable, but not within the available time, so again, we replaced it. Once all the cables were changed, the real problem was the chainplate. We had to bring in architect Antoine Koch and structural engineering firm GSea Design to establish a repair protocol and make sure we could sail at 100% of the boat's potential. That took time—many layers of fabric had to be applied in a hard-to-reach area... we even had to dismantle the ballast to get there. We went through an emotional rollercoaster, moving from uncertainty to the possibility of getting back into the race. Today, we're super happy, super excited... I just can't wait to get back out sailing!"
Motivation Fully Intact
If this comeback is possible, it's above all thanks to the tireless work of the shore team, who have been fully mobilized for a month since the accident in the Course des Caps. "They're exhausted, but it's incredible to see how they keep going, how much they invest themselves," says the Milanese skipper. "Getting back into competition for me is like a dream. The moment we're back racing will be so intense that we'll remember it for the rest of our lives—we'll be over the moon! But for now, we're taking things step by step, with a huge desire to be at sea, to deliver the boat to Portsmouth, and just to enjoy sailing again. And for me personally, there's something I need to overcome... that first start at the helm of Allagrande Mapei didn't go as planned, and the only way to turn the page is to get back out there and reconnect with the boat."
Strategic Delivery to Portsmouth
With the boat repaired and the team ready, the goal now is to reach Portsmouth in time for the start of the second leg. "The chainplate repair was completed today," notes Thomas Ruyant. "The outrigger will be reinstalled this evening, and the team will finish prepping the boat for a Friday morning departure. Our preferred option is to go through the Kiel Canal, which should save us a lot of time, especially given the current weather (light winds along Denmark). We'd arrive tomorrow afternoon at the canal's exit to head up the Elbe estuary. Sailing the Kiel Canal requires a pilot on board since we draw more than 3 meters; for safety, we'll be accompanied by a RIB, and for the two locks, we'll use a large inflatable fender, which we'll keep all the way to Portsmouth. After that, the weather is in our favor for a fast downwind run to the Solent, which we hope to reach between Saturday evening and Sunday midday. That scenario is fantastic news and would allow us to start the second leg. We really hope Holcim-PRB can do the same. We're following their repairs closely—they've been our partners in misfortune at the start of this European tour, and we'd love to have the full fleet back together to continue The Ocean Race Europe."
Mapei's Unwavering Support
For title partner Mapei, the repairs and return to racing are also a source of relief and collective pride. "We stayed in Kiel to support the team, who immediately got to work after the incident to repair the damage and prepare the boat as best as possible," says Simona Giorgetta, a member of Mapei's Board of Directors. "It's been an emotional journey, and today we're truly excited about this new start. It's a reward for teamwork, for the solidarity between different teams that, even though they're competitors on the water, help each other in times of need, for the strength never to give up in the face of difficulty, but to get back up and keep moving forward. Values that Mapei has always believed in."
Find out more at www.theoceanrace.com