As the countdown begins for the start of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, Team Malizia is once again on the grid and aiming high. The Monegasque-backed project, founded by Pierre Casiraghi, Vice-President of the Yacht Club de Monaco, will take on the 4,500-nautical-mile offshore test loop around Europe, with seasoned German skipper Boris Herrmann at the helm of Malizia – Seaexplorer.
The race kicks off on Sunday, August 10 in Kiel, Germany, following two days of warm-up speed trials on Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9. The fleet of seven high-tech IMOCA boats will then embark on a month-long sprint, navigating everything from English Channel chop to Mediterranean lulls, finishing in the Adriatic at Boka Bay, Montenegro. It’s a route designed to test tactics, endurance, and the tightrope balance between speed and strategy.
Herrmann, now a veteran of six circumnavigations, is no stranger to pressure. With top-five finishes in two Vendée Globes and a podium result in the 2022–23 Ocean Race already under his belt, he’s lining up alongside a formidable crew, a blend of Olympic pedigree, offshore grit, and rising stars.
Joining him are Briton Will Harris, a long-time Malizia teammate; Francesca Clapcich, who made history as the first Italian woman to win The Ocean Race; Swiss talent Justine Mettraux, with two global wins to her name; record-breaking American soloist Cole Brauer; and rising French star Loïs Berrehar, fresh from a standout Figaro season.
“This race is a new challenge for us, and we’re ready to face it head-on,” said Herrmann. “We’ve built a crew not just for speed, but for resilience. There’s a real synergy on board — we all push each other to the edge of our limits.”
The Malizia – Seaexplorer is no ordinary foiler. Built for speed and science, she’s equipped with sensors that monitor ocean health in real time, from CO₂ levels to microplastic density. The yacht functions as a racing machine and floating lab, continuing the team’s mission to merge elite performance with environmental responsibility.
From the Solent to the Spanish coast, through the Riviera to the Adriatic, The Ocean Race Europe will be closely fought. With 11 Vendée Globe veterans and multiple Ocean Race winners in the fleet, competition is fierce. But Team Malizia, backed by Monaco’s ocean legacy, has made it clear: they’re not just here to participate, they’re here to contend.
