The Ocean Race Europe 2025: Everything you need to know

The Ocean Race Europe will set off from Kiel, Germany on 10 August. Here’s everything you need to know about the route, the teams, and how to keep up with them once the race starts.

Seven teams, six weeks, five legs, one unforgettable race. For its 2025 edition, the Ocean Race Europe will bring together some of the world’s top offshore racing talent.

A fleet-full of high performing foiling 60ft IMOCAs will make an challenging 4,500-mile run around Europe. The route will snake through the Baltic, the North Sea, the Atlantic, the English Channel, the Mediterranean, and into the Adriatic before a grand finale in Boka Bay, Montenegro.

What is the Ocean Race Europe?

The Ocean Race Europe is run by the organisers of the Ocean Race. The event takes place every four years. This year marks its second edition, after its debut in 2021.

The Ocean Race Europe is offset from the Ocean Race (once the Volvo Ocean Race, before that the Whitbread Round the World Race, widely held as one of the most intense, iconic sailing offshore events on the racing calendar) by two years, allowing teams to partake in both.

It comes ahead of the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic (2026), which will feature an exciting dash from New York to Barcelona, and the highly anticipated 15th edition of the Ocean Race, which sets off in January 2027 from Alicante.

Several teams competing this summer are also set to take part in the next Ocean Race, but the Ocean Race Europe isn’t just a warm up. It’s a high intensity event in its own right.

The Ocean Race Europe 2025: Racing for the Ocean

For its second instalment, the Ocean Race Europe’s goal is “Connecting Europe”. The route will link some of the region’s most iconic maritime locations, as well as some less well known sailing waters, and hopefully forge new pathways between them.

This year’s race also centres themes of sustainability, and will use its platform to help protect the oceans. The race hopes to make sailing an ever-more sustainable sport by modelling responsible resource use.

The Route

Leg 1 takes the fleet 850 nautical miles from Kiel to Portsmouth, England, (Scoring gate: Kiel Lighthouse) through the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and the English Channel.

Leg 2 is the longest of the race, with a 1,400 nautical mile stretch from Portsmouth (Scoring gate: The Needles) to Cartagena, Spain that will take the fleet through the Atlantic, including a fly-by in Patosinhos/Porto, Portugal.

Leg 3 sees the fleet cruise 650 nautical miles through the upper Mediterranean, cruising from Cartagena (Scoring gate: Cabo de Palos) to Nice, France.

Leg 4 takes them another 600 miles from Nice (Scoring gate: Monaco) to Genoa, Italy, which hosted the Grand Finale of the first inaugural Ocean Race Europe in 2021.

Leg 5 will mark the first time the race passes through the Adriatic. For its final 1,000 mile stretch from Genoa (Scoring gate: Santo Stefano), the Ocean Race Europe fleet will head for a grand finale in Boka Bay, Montenegro.

Scoring gates close to the leg will give teams opportunities to earn additional points for strong starts.

Additionally, a short, inshore coastal race in Boka Bay on 20 September will offer teams the chance to score points equivalent to an offshore leg. It’s sure to be stiff competition right until the last second!

The fleet

For the 2025 edition, 7 teams will combine some of the world’s top offshore racing talent. The fleet includes 11 Vendée Globe 2024-2025 skippers and six winners of previous editions of The Ocean Race.

The teams are:

Team Malizia (Germany), led by skipper Boris Herrmann. He is joined by an international team that includes American sailor Cole Brauer and brit Will Harris.

Team Holcim – PRB (Switzerland), led by skipper Rosalin Kuiper, alum of the most recent Ocean Race (2023).

Team Paprec Arkéa (France) with skipper Yoan Richomme at the head of a predominantly French team. Richomme came second in the 2024-2025 Vendee Globe, despite it being his first entry, and skippered the winning boat in the Ocean Race Europe 2021 edition’s VO65 class.

Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive (Canada) led by Canadian skipper Scott Shawyer, who is working towards the Vendee Globe 2028. The team also includes British ocean racer and Yachting World contributor Pip Hare.

Allagrande Mapei Racing (Italy) led by Italian skipper Ambrogio Beccaria. The team includes the boat’s former skipper, offshore sailor Thomas Ruyant.

Team Biotherm (France) led by skipper Paul Meilhat, also with British sailor Sam Goodchild.

Team Amaala (Switzerland / Saudi Arabia), led by Vendee Globe skipper Alan Roura. Amaala is the fleet’s largest team, and includes co-skippers Simon Koster and Conrad Colman.

Teams will race with four sailors on board, as well an onboard reporter who is strictly prohibited from assisting with any sailing. By regulation, each team must include at least two nationalities and one female sailor.

How to follow the Ocean Race Europe 2025

This year, the Ocean Race Europe’s official online tracker, developed in collaboration with PredictWind, will allow viewers to keep up with the fleet in real time. The tracker will offer features such as live GPS tracking; global weather overlays; predictive routing, a full telemetry feed, and OBR multimedia integration. It will be available on the Ocean Race’s website from 10 August 2025.

Additionally, the new “Onboard” TV series will take you right onto the water with the racing teams. With more cameras, microphones, and plenty of exclusive footage from the onboard reporters, viewers will get to swing right into the heart of the action.

Expect new episodes every Tuesday and Friday, with a season preview on Friday 8 August. Enjoy 12 episodes over 6 weeks, each airing 19:00 BST in the UK and 20:00 CEST in the rest of Europe.

Other live shows on TNT sports (UK) and Eurosport include:

• Live Dockout Show (Kiel), 10 August at 12:15 BST
• Official Race Start (Kiel), 10 August at 14:30-16:00 BST
• Coastal Race (Boka Bay), 20 September 13:00-14:30 BST
• Live Dockout Show (Boka Bay), 20 September at 11:30-12:30 BST
• Ocean Race Europe 2025 Wrap-up, 26 September at 19:00 BST

Race coverage will also be available to stream on HBOMax, in the UK, Germany, and Italy, and on Discovery+ in the rest of Europe.

Race along with the Ocean Race Europe 2025

This year, the Ocean Race Europe is also partnering with Virtual Regatta. The online platform will mirror the live race’s route, offering participants the chance to test their tactical knowledge as they (virtually) race alongside the fleet. Sign up online before the race starts on 10 August 2025.

If you enjoyed this article on the Ocean Race Europe….

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