Rival Vessels Clash in the Ocean Race Europe Leg One, Leading to a Maritime Mishap, Followed by Their Respective Journeys Back to Shore
The Ocean Race Europe 2025 in Kiel, Germany, experienced an unexpected disruption when Team Holcim PRB and Allagrande MAPEI Racing collided during the opening miles of the race. Both teams were forced to retire temporarily from the race, with no injuries reported among the crew members [2][3].
Team Holcim PRB, under the leadership of Rosalin Kuiper, the only female skipper in the race, focused on repairing significant damage to their carbon hull and port-side rigging. Thanks to an extraordinary effort by the shore crew, they managed to complete repairs rapidly and rejoined the race for the second leg starting in Portsmouth, UK, sailing onwards to Cartagena, Spain [1][4].
Allagrande MAPEI Racing, on the other hand, returned to port to assess the damage but did not rejoin the race for the subsequent legs. Both teams filed formal protests regarding the collision, and an International Jury is expected to investigate the incident and assign responsibility, which may impact their participation and standings further in the event [2][3].
Here's a summary of the current status of the teams:
| Team | Incident | Immediate Outcome | Current Status | |----------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------| | Team Holcim PRB | Collision at start on Aug 10 | Temporary retirement for repairs | Rejoined race at leg 2 from Portsmouth to Cartagena | | Allagrande MAPEI Racing | Same collision at start | Returned to Kiel for damage assessment | Did not rejoin; jury investigation pending |
Meanwhile, Paprec Arkéa is in second place, earning one point, while Team Malizia and Team Amaala follow closely behind in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The race is forecast to have strong winds and a challenging course ahead, including wind farms, current zones, and the iconic passage under the Great Belt Bridge [5].
The race director, Phil Lawrence, announced that both boats have suspended racing and returned to port. Skipper Ambrogio Beccaria of Allagrande MAPEI Racing expressed disappointment about the incident, while Skipper Rosalin Kuiper of Team Holcim PRB remained determined and focused on the race [6]. The International Jury will handle this matter at a later time [3].
[1] https://www.oceanrace.com/the-ocean-race/news/team-holcim-prb-returns-to-race-after-collision-repairs [2] https://www.sailing-news.com/the-ocean-race-europe-2025/collision-disrupts-the-ocean-race-europe-2025-as-teams-holcim-prb-and-allagrande-mapei-racing-retire-temporarily/ [3] https://www.sail-world.com/news/269968 [4] https://www.sailingtoday.co.uk/news/ocean-race-europe-2025-team-holcim-prb-returns-to-race-after-collision-repairs [5] https://www.oceanrace.com/the-ocean-race/race/the-ocean-race-europe-2025/race-course [6] https://www.sailing-news.com/the-ocean-race-europe-2025/collision-disrupts-the-ocean-race-europe-2025-as-teams-holcim-prb-and-allagrande-mapei-racing-retire-temporarily/
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