Disaster Strikes in the Midst of the Ocean Race Europe's First Leg as Two Vessels Collide and Sailors Venture Back Home

In the inaugural phase of The Ocean Race Europe, teams Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing sustained damage early on, forcing them to return to the dock.

, and ASMedia

2025 August 31 . 7:57 PM

2 min read

Ocean Race Europe Leg One Ends in Collision of Two Boats, Resulting in Their Return Home in the... — Ocean Race Europe Leg One Ends in Collision of Two Boats, Resulting in Their Return Home in the midst of the Ocean

Disaster Strikes in the Midst of the Ocean Race Europe's First Leg as Two Vessels Collide and Sailors Venture Back Home

In the opening leg of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, a collision between Team Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing disrupted the competition. The incident occurred during fast-paced action with strong winds, forcing both teams to return to the dock in Kiel, Germany.

Team Holcim-PRB, under the leadership of skipper Rosalin Kuiper, the only female skipper in this race edition, made swift repairs to its carbon hull and port-side rigging and managed a remarkable return to the race. They rejoined at the start of the second leg from Portsmouth to Cartagena.

Despite the setback, Team Holcim-PRB performed notably well in the second leg, achieving second place behind the leg winners Biotherm upon arrival in Cartagena. Meanwhile, Allagrande MAPEI Racing remains in Kiel, examining their boat and awaiting decisions from the race jury on the collision incident.

Both teams have lodged formal protests regarding the collision, and their cases are pending investigation by an International Jury, with potential consequences affecting their ongoing participation and standings.

As the race continues, intense competition persists, including wind farms, current zones, and the iconic passage under the Great Belt Bridge. Biotherm leads the fleet after passing through the Kiel Lighthouse scoring gate, earning the first two points of the race. Paprec Arkéa is close behind, taking one point.

Despite the collision-related challenges, both Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing aim to rejoin the race for the next stage. Further updates on the damaged teams' progress are expected early in the week.

Rosalin Kuiper, skipper of Team Holcim PRB, confirmed significant hull damage, while Ambrogio Beccaria, skipper of Allagrande MAPEI Racing, expressed visible disappointment on the dock. However, both teams are not dropping out of the race until there is no chance of repair.

The Ocean Race Europe promises to deliver an exciting and challenging race as it progresses, with strong winds and a challenging course expected in the upcoming stages.