Boris Herrmann’s IMOCA, Malizia – Seaexplorer, representing the Yacht Club de Monaco, has completed the fourth stage of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, taking sixth place after an intense 2 days, 22 hours, 10 minutes, and 42 seconds at sea. The crew crossed the line in the Bay of Genoa on Wednesday, September 3, following a challenging route that tested both strategy and stamina.
The leg, which began in Nice, encapsulated the trademark difficulties of Mediterranean racing: unpredictable light winds at the start, a passage through Monaco’s bay beneath the Rock, a crucial crossing at the Strait of Bonifacio, and a series of shifting conditions along the Italian coast. An early tactical decision cost the team valuable ground, pushing them out of the leading pack despite a determined effort to recover.
The crew maintained high spirits and continued to push their IMOCA to its limits even as the leading boats pulled away, demonstrating the team’s resilience and cohesion in the face of setbacks.
The focus now turns to leg five, which will depart from Genoa on Sunday, September 7 and cover roughly 1,000 nautical miles en route to Boka Bay, Montenegro. This penultimate stage, with its tactical Adriatic passage, is seen as a crucial opportunity to improve standings before the decisive coastal finale on Saturday, September 20, where full leg points will once again be up for grabs.
With 16 points still in play and British sailor Will Harris rejoining the crew as co-skipper, Malizia – Seaexplorer remains within striking distance of the podium, determined to fight until the final leg of this demanding European circuit.
