Biotherm storms to Portsmouth as Malizia’s Dover gamble strikes gold

What was meant to be a straight dash into Portsmouth turned into an extra 60 nautical miles when race control added a two-lap loop off Bembridge Ledge on Wednesday night. For Paul Meilhat’s crew on Biotherm, it was business as usual. They’d led from Kiel, stayed clear of trouble, and even a squall that came barrelling in at 25 knots from all directions couldn’t shake them.

“We went from five knots to 25, then it spun right round,” Meilhat said. “Drop a sail, hoist another — we just kept on it.” By Bembridge, they had the race sewn up. No cruising over the line, though; they trimmed and tweaked to the last, crossing at 09:50 UTC for a perfect score — 7 points for the win, plus 2 from the Kiel gate.

The fight was for second. Paprec Arkéa had held Malizia off for most of the leg. Then, nearing Dover, Boris Herrmann’s crew gambled — hugging the English shore to dodge the worst of the tide. Breeze risked fading, but the payoff was instant: five miles clawed back in an hour. “This is when we become the hunters,” grinned co-skipper Cole Brauer.

Through the night it was tack for tack, a mile in it, until a single mark-rounding split went Malizia’s way. One gybe, one shift, and they were ahead — stretching out to lock in second. “We got a little lucky,” admitted Will Harris, “but we also fought like hell.”

Paprec’s skipper Yoann Richomme called it straight: “A mistake on my part. I was tired, I let it go.”

Further back, Canada’s Be Water Positive ghosted through thick fog, radar and AIS keeping them out of trouble, to take fourth. Team Amaala, 80 miles adrift, laughed off a night of endless tacks.

For Biotherm’s Sam Goodchild, the win was a team statement: “Not much time together, but Paul’s leading well. You don’t get ahead of yourself — there’s a long way to go.”

Provisional leaderboard:

Biotherm – 9 pts

Team Malizia – 6 pts

Paprec Arkéa – 6 pts

Be Water Positive – 4 pts

Team Amaala – 3 pts (TBC)

Next stop:

1,400 miles to Cartagena via Porto, starting Sunday 17 August. Repairs continue for Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI — the race isn’t done with them yet.