Thousands Anticipated for Kiel's Sailing Event Debut: Ocean Race Europe - Thousands FLocking to Kiel for Ocean Race Europe's Commencement, Estimated Audience at 100,000
The Ocean Race Europe 2025 Kicks Off in Kiel
The much-anticipated Ocean Race Europe 2025 is set to commence on August 10 from Kiel, Germany. This multi-leg offshore race will cover approximately 4,500 nautical miles, taking the sailing quartets through some of Europe's most iconic waters.
The first leg of the race will lead over 850 nautical miles to Portsmouth, England, traversing the Baltic Sea, North Sea, and English Channel. The race will consist of five stages, with the remaining legs taking the teams to Cartagena, Spain; Nice and Genoa, Italy; and finally, Boka Bay, Montenegro. The race will conclude with a coastal race in Boka Bay on September 20 [1][2][4].
Teams will earn points per leg based on their finishing positions, with extra points available at designated scoring gates and for the inshore coastal race in Boka Bay [1][2]. Notable participants include Boris Herrmann’s Team Malizia, a team with a history of involvement in the Vendee Globe, a solo nonstop around-the-world race [2]. Several Vendee Globe participants are taking part, betting on their ocean racing experience to contend strongly in this fleet.
The race route and schedule emphasize diverse European sailing waters and sustainability efforts, showcasing iconic ports and challenging navigation through busy and complex seas such as the North Sea, with hazards like wind farms and strong currents affecting Leg 1 especially [2][3]. Discussions about route options, such as the possible use of the Kiel Canal to shorten the transit to Portsmouth, are ongoing, but typical routing includes passage around Denmark’s northern tip [5].
The starting line for the race is between Laboe and the Olympia Centre Schilksee on the Kiel outer fjord. The race will start on Sunday at 15:50 in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein [6].
NDR will broadcast live from 13:15, with more than 100,000 visitors expected on the starting day for this sailing highlight of the year [7]. Don't miss out on the action as these high-profile teams, including Boris Herrmann’s Team Malizia and other seasoned offshore racers with Vendee Globe backgrounds, compete on a demanding and scenic European route from August to September 2025 [1][2][3][4].
[1] Ocean Race Europe Official Website: https://www.oceanraceurope.com/ [2] Sailing Today: https://www.sailingtoday.co.uk/news/ocean-race-europe-2025-route-and-schedule-announced [3] Yacht Racing Life: https://www.yachtracinglife.com/news/2022/01/25/ocean-race-europe-route-announced/ [4] Sail World: https://www.sail-world.com/OceanRaceEurope/News/133187 [5] Sailing Scuttlebutt: https://www.sailingworld.com/cruising/ocean-race-europe-2025-route-announced-with-kiel-canal-as-potential-shortcut [6] Ocean Race Europe Official Website: https://www.oceanraceurope.com/starting-line-kiel-2025/ [7] NDR: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/sport/seesport/ocean-race-europe-2025-start-in-kiel-100000-zuschauer-erwartet-100.html
The Commission, meanwhile, has been tasked with devising a regulation for a Community system for the control of the use of pesticides, considering the potential risks associated with offshore racing and the importance of preserving the natural environment, especially as the sailing teams venture through various European waters during the Ocean Race Europe 2025. During their downtime, some team members might find solace in engaging in sports as a form of exercise and team bonding.
