Team Malizia Finishes Sixth in Leg 4 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025

Team Malizia at the arrival of Leg 4 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 in Genova © Marie Lefloch I Team Malizia

"Not the Result We Wanted, But More Determined Than Ever"

Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia finished Leg 4 of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 in sixth place after a challenging Mediterranean leg that saw the fleet depart from Nice, France, round Corsica, and race to Genova, Italy. The Malizia - Seaexplorer crew, composed of skipper Boris Herrmann (GER), co-skippers Francesca Clapcich (ITA/USA), Cole Brauer (USA), and Loïs Berrehar (FRA), as well as onboard reporter Flore Hartout (FRA/NED), crossed the finish line in the Bay of Genova on Wednesday 3 September at 15:10 local time (13:10 UTC) after 2 days, 22 hours, 10 minutes, and 42 seconds at sea. The podium places had already been decided in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with the Italian-entry team Allagrande MAPEI Racing winning Leg 4.

"The big positive from this leg, despite the setback, is that we kept our spirits high and really enjoyed the sailing," said Boris Herrmann on arrival in Genova. "Even when it was clear we couldn't catch the Canadians, we pushed the boat to the max, which shows our great team spirit. We are a diverse mix of nationalities and cultures, and for Loïs and Cole it's their first major IMOCA season, so everything is new and exciting. But no one loses motivation just because we're further back. We fight right to the very end, with full commitment. Whether ahead or behind, it's just so much fun to sail with this crew. Of course, I hate losing, and slipping into sixth place yesterday was tough. It took a little while to digest, but 24 hours later, I'm over it and fully focused on the next leg, more motivated than ever to get a strong result."

The course for Leg 4 saw the fleet of seven boats leave Nice in light conditions, racing upwind along the Côte d'Azur on the way to the nearby Scoring Gate off Monaco. Biotherm collected the two points available at the gate, followed by Team Holcim - PRB who scored one point. During the next stretch, the packed fleet progressed slowly south overnight, navigating the western coast of Corsica in light winds while staying offshore to escape the wind shadow of the French island's mountains.

"We had a good start", commented the German skipper. "But quickly after sunset on the first day, things turned. We were only about a mile behind Team Holcim-PRB when we got too close to a lighter wind zone. We couldn't get around it like the others did, and we lost ground there. The interesting thing, and we've seen this on almost every leg, is how small differences, how tiny losses can have huge consequences. That put us in a completely different race from the front group."

As predicted by Francesca Clapcich, the timing of the boats' passages through the Strait of Bonifacio proved to be crucial. "Depending on the timing, we could face strong westerly winds that accelerate through the Strait, or light winds", said the Italian sailor before the start. Team Holcim- PRB led through the 11-kilometre passage between Corsica and Sardinia and were the first to benefit from the stronger, steadier southerly wind that propelled the race yachts north at speeds over 20 knots. While the top four teams made a swift passage through the Strait of Bonifacio, the remaining three crews, including Team Malizia, were delayed by lighter winds and could only watch as the leading group pulled away.

After heading north along the Italian coast, the fleet rounded a waypoint off Alassio before crossing back through the Gulf of Genova to the final waypoint, where conditions had lightened again. "It's been three days, but it feels like three months," commented Francesca Clapcich on arrival. "It was a short leg, but really intense, with so many transitions. Of course, the result wasn't what we wanted. We did a lot of things well, but a few mistakes cost us. The fleet is at a very high level, and I'm proud of how hard we pushed hard from start to finish."

Now the team will take a short break to recharge and enjoy a few days in Italy, with home-country hero Francesca Clapcich in high demand for media appearances, events, and meeting fans. "The last time I was in Genoa, I was sailing on an IMOCA and won The Ocean Race here," she said. "Coming back brings back great memories. Now I'm creating new ones with a different team, with an incredible group of people on this special boat, pushing hard and getting better every day."

In just four days, the fleet will line up again for Leg 5, the final stage of The Ocean Race Europe 2025. This approximately 1,000-nautical-mile leg will take the crews from Genova past the Scoring Gate at the Santa Stefano Latitude (northeast of Sardina), through the Adriatic, and to the finish in Boka Bay, Montenegro. Onboard Malizia - Seaexplorer, Will Harris returns as co-skipper after sitting out two legs, taking over from Loïs Berrehar. He joins skipper Boris Herrmann, co-skippers Francesca Clapcich and Cole Brauer, with Flore Hartout continuing as onboard reporter.

Even though the finish in Boka Bay could decide the overall race winner, the rest of the ranking remains open. During the Final Coastal Race, a short inshore event on 20 September, points equivalent to a full offshore leg will still be awarded. "There are still 16 points on the table", commented Boris Herrmann. "We did the math and there's still a chance to make the podium. So it's not over until it's over, especially in the Med that is full of surprises."

He concludes: "I'm an optimist, and it would just be fantastic to get on the podium for another leg, and a fitting end for me with this boat. And if it doesn't happen, we still have the Final Coastal Race where we can be strong too. Our team can win legs, we just need to show it. Luckily there's still opportunities to try and we will keep fighting for every mile and every point." Leg 5 from Genova to Boka Bay gets under way on Sunday 7 September at 15:00 local time (13:00 UTC).

Team Malizia's A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its eight main partners: Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, KPMG Germany, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. 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.