Biotherm wins Leg 2 to Cartagena, extends lead in Ocean Race Europe

Biotherm extended its perfect run in The Ocean Race Europe by sweeping Leg 2 to Cartagena, delivering a dominant performance that reasserted the French team as the standout in the fleet. After a marathon 1,400 nautical mile leg that stretched from Portsmouth, via a Matosinhos fly-by, to the finish off Cartagena, Biotherm finished first, with Holcim PRB in second and Paprec Arkéa in third. The result leaves Biotherm with a seven-point lead at the top of the standings, while the leg’s long and tightly fought nature underscored how unpredictable the Mediterranean portion of the race can be. A separate International Jury ruling related to Leg 1’s collision granted redress to Holcim PRB, setting Leg 1 finishing positions aside from the incident, and confirming Paprec Arkéa would not receive redress.

Leg 2 proved to be a study in contrasts. The early stage featured fast, downwind sailing along the Atlantic coast, with Biotherm staking out a lead that Paprec Arkéa briefly challenged during the opening night near Finisterre. The fleet then wove through a series of tactical transitions off Brittany and Brittany’s tidal gates, before the wind shifted into the Mediterranean, where the...