BayOfBiscay Articles

Sleepless Hours Ahead as Porto’s Scoring Gate Looms Large

The reset off Ushant turned the race into a drag strip. The tide and a soft breeze bunched the pack within touching distance, leaving no place to hide. Since then, it’s been pure boat-on-boat warfare — endless tweaks, constant trimming, and helms glued to the wheel while rivals hover in sight just a few boat lengths away. “It’s pretty much a straight line now,” said Team Malizia’s Francesca Clapcich. “This part could have been brutal, but it’s turned into a speed test.
Leg 2 of The Ocean Race Europe
© Pierre Bouras / The Ocean Race

No rest, no margin, no mercy — Biscay turns into a battleground on the road to Porto.

25-08-2025

Fleet storms away from the Solent as Ocean Race Europe Leg 2

Ocean Race Europe Leg 2
© The Ocean Race Jean-Louis Carli
The first prize came quickly — a scoring gate at The Needles. In sparkling downwind conditions, tide in their favour, the fleet tore past Cowes with spinnakers flying. Paprec Arkéa’s Yoann Richomme had grabbed the early spotlight, but once again it was Paul Meilhat and his Biotherm crew who bagged the maximum points, keeping their flawless scoring record intact. Paprec settled for second, while Holcim-PRB, freshly patched up and back from the brink, crossed third.
23-08-2025