Biotherm in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 3 Preview - the makings of a very complicated third leg

Team Biotherm, skippered by Paul Meilhat in the Ocean Race Europe © Vincent Curutchet / The Ocean Race Europe

In the sweltering, humid heat of Cartagena, the teams have been busily preparing for Leg 3 of The Ocean Race Europe. Undefeated thus far, Paul Meilhat, Amélie Grassi, Sam Goodchild and newcomer Benjamin Ferré (Jack Bouttell's replacement) are thrilled about their lead on the scoreboard: a 7-point cushion, which they have no intention of letting go of.

Indeed, the third leg to Nice (departing this Tuesday 26 at 15:00 hours) heralds the start of a more uncertain phase in a fickle and unpredictable Mediterranean. Biotherm can count on the strong group dynamics, which have galvanised it into action since the start in Kiel. Paul Meilhat discusses this collective, which he has put together in his own image...

"We don't really have a Neymar or a Messi in the team. We all trust one another, and I do all I can to ensure that everyone is in a position to express their talent," explains the skipper of Biotherm, delighted by the positive energy that has emanated from his project since battle commenced in The Ocean Race Europe.

The skipper as a selector of a team with a human face

"Our team is built around mainstays, starting with Marc Liardet, our boat captain. Each person has gradually been fleshed out to complete the foundations: Alizée Vauquelin (technical director), Etienne Moy (head of on-board systems), Guillaume Le Tuaud (deck hardware, mechanics, hydraulics)... If I have to take on new people, they must be 'validated' by these team leaders, otherwise it won't work. That said, I'm very sensitive to the fact that we work well together, that everyone feels totally fulfilled and driven, even though I can also be somewhat cold in my decision-making. Ultimately, we are a very human team, which is humble and fairly modest too. We are driven by actions, values and energy rather than words. A smile, a hug at the finishes, say so much more than long speeches."

The foundation stone of the device and the pride of wearing the team jersey

"I believe that the guarantors of our approach are the members of the shore crew. They are the ones who spend the most time together, who are there when we leave the dock and at the finishes, who support us and link us all together. They are our number one supporters. We are proud to wear the team jersey for them! I'd almost go so far as to say that the shore crew itself is more important than the technical work carried out on the boat."

The sailors: expertise, calmness and humility

"Amélie Grassi has been instrumental in bringing the crew together for The Ocean Race Europe. At the top of the list, Jack Bouttell and Sam Goodchild bring a massive amount to the team in terms of rigour, calmness and organisation on the boat. They have also pushed us to raise our game and push ourselves on the boat. They are managers as well as attackers. In this 3rd leg, Jack is resuming his personal projects and we're bringing in a sailor from the bench! Alongside us right the way to the race finish, we're going to really make the most of Benjamin Ferré's freshness, serenity and energy. Amélie and I are going to continue working on maintaining the cohesion and mindset aboard. On a personal level, I'm also very useful when it comes to absorbing the pressure moments. I don't get consumed by challenges. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that I love that!"

A balance that is both strong and fragile

"The dynamics which have carried us along this far are our driving force, but they can also break down. Everything's going well so far. We're winning, we have a sizeable lead, it's easy-going. However, we have to prepare ourselves to absorb a poor result. There are still 34 points up for grabs and three Mediterranean legs. We're entering a more random phase where we'll need nerves of steel."

Physiognomy of leg three: Cartagena - Nice (via the Cap Corse peninsula)*

"It's not going to be an easy leg," warns Dominic Vittet, who is tasked with preparing the navigation for Biotherm. "It will be a very interesting game though. It will tap into the competitors' knowledge and seamanship, their ability to adapt and their quick reactions." The bulk of the course will be coloured by a stormy depression, which will make its way across the playing field to the French coast, generating gusty and shifty winds. The first section will play out upwind along the Spanish coast leaving the Balearics to starboard. From Mallorca, the strategy will involve exiting this depression in the hunt for breeze offshore, which will send the fleet northwards as far as a virtual course mark (waypoint Charlie) located offshore of the islands of Hyères. "There is a lot at stake over the first 24 hours as the fleet tries to shake free of the clutches of this depression. The first team to escape will be able to lengthen their stride," explains Dominic Vittet. As the IMOCAs close on the French coast, the wind is set to shift round to the east and then the north-east, picking up considerably in the process. Once they've ticked off waypoint Charlie, the competitors will hang a sharp right towards the far north of Corsica to round the famous Giraglia. The approach of Cap Corse is set to be extremely complicated with wind shadows on one side and strong gusts on the other. Sailing conditions for the sprint to Nice are a complete unknown: the Mediterranean in all its late-summer glory! "A great deal of opportunism and observation will be called for and the teams will have to react quickly in terms of strategy and trimming as the wind will be very gusty and shifty throughout the course. Physically, it will be a very demanding leg," promises Dominic Vittet.

The first boats are due into Nice on Friday 29 August.

*This course may be subject to modification, especially from waypoint Charlie

Quotes

Benjamin Ferré: "The team has done an extraordinary job so far. The only element that's changing is me! Given the previous results, that adds a bit of pressure! However, there's a fantastic atmosphere. Everyone's very focused on the goal and the boat's going well, which is excellent news. On a personal level, crewed sailing, the fact that I'm here at the service of the project, is a new concept but one that is very exciting and incredibly exhilarating! We've previously done some training together back in June and everything was already very fluid. I hope we'll rediscover the same osmosis on the boat. My role will be to integrate this group and the overall ambiance like a kind of chameleon. The first runs on Monday afternoon (won by Biotherm) will be a way for me to get my bearings on the boat again."

Sam Goodchild: "Performance is not about how you trim a sail aboard a boat. Performance is about the ambiance all around a project through to the way Paul manages his team. He has managed his project in his own way since the start with great ambition and a limited amount of time. The team is kind of a reflection of him. It's incredibly strong in terms of its ability to adapt and react and it makes very efficient use of the means at its disposal (human, technical). Paul gives us a great deal of autonomy aboard the boat, whilst also managing the decision-making very well, which is pretty impressive. Everything's going really well so far but there may be some tough times ahead. That's where the challenge can step up gear and where Paul's role will be all the more important."

Provisonal Overall Ranking in The Ocean Race after 2 legs:

1. Biotherm - 25 points
2. Paprec Arkéa - 18 points
3. Team Malizia - 13 points
4. Team Holcim PRB - 11 points
5. Canada Ocean Racing - Be Water Positive - 8 points
6. Allagrande MAPEI Racing - 7 points
7. Team AMAALA - 5 points