The seven crews competing in The Ocean Race Europe completed the third leg on Friday (see our photo of the week), which started on Tuesday in Cartagena and finished in Nice, which is hosting Imoca boats for the first time in over fifteen years. Tip & Shaft reveals the behind-the-scenes story of a last-minute stopover.
After departing from Kiel (Germany) and stopping in Portsmouth, Porto (a fly-by of only three hours) and Cartagena, the fleet of The Ocean Race Europe 2025 is now in Nice. It is very rare for Imoca to visit French Mediterranean cities, with a few precedents dating back some time, such as the Istanbul Europa Race, which stopped in Nice in 2009, and seven years ago, the Monaco Globe Series in 2018.
“For this edition of The Ocean Race Europe, we wanted a stopover in France because this country has a very strong connection with the Imoca class, with many sailors and sponsors coming from France,” Johan Salén, co-director of the event, explained to Tip & Shaft. “As there are already many events in the Atlantic and the English Channel, a Mediterranean city seemed like a sensible option.”
However, finding a suitable city willing to invest in hosting this European tour proved more difficult than expected. “In France, it’s a complicated period with public spending restrictions and political instability,” continues Johan Salén. “We entered into discussions with Marseille, but at that time, the city’s priority was the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is understandable.”
As a result, the first draft of the route for The Ocean Race Europe 2025 did not include a French leg. That was until, at the end of 2024, the race management team contacted Patrick Gilliot, co-founder of CapMed, an organisation launched in 2023 that works on organising nautical events and races on the French Riviera. Alongside Ultim Sailing, it managed the arrival of the Finistère Atlantique 2024 in Antibes and will organise another race reserved for Ultims in spring 2026, l’Odyssée Ultim.
“A small miracle”
“When Johan Salén called me to add a French leg to The Ocean Race Europe, we looked at three possibilities: Toulon, Antibes and Nice,” reveals Patrick Gilliot. Last March, an agreement was reached with Nice. We managed to add a city to the race schedule without disrupting the entire calendar. It’s a small miracle.” What tipped the scales in Nice’s favour? The city’s strong commitment, say the organisers in unison.
“Nice is well-suited to hosting major international sporting events, as it has proven in the recent past with the Rugby World Cup in 2023 and the arrival of the Tour de France in 2024. Hosting The Ocean Race Europe, a leading sailing event, fits perfectly with this approach, as Christian Estrosi, mayor of the city and president of the Nice Côte d’Azur metropolitan area, confirmed to us by email. The second reason goes beyond the high-level competition: we want to mobilise the public and the media on issues related to ocean protection. Less than three months after the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in Nice, this stopover makes perfect sense. We are continuing in the same vein.”
The timing for organising the arrival of the seven Imoca boats was tight. A solution for mooring them had to be found quickly, in the form of a 150-metre-long floating pontoon installed at the foot of a quay in the commercial port of Nice, usually used to accommodate ferries and other large vessels. “This inevitably has an impact on the port’s operations during the stopover, and adjustments have to be made. But we felt a general enthusiasm on the part of the various players to make it work,” says Frédéric-Henri Minucci, who is in charge of the nautical side of the event with his company Med in Sud.
A test for The Ocean Race?
The race village, managed by The Ocean Race Europe organisation, is presented here in a more compact version than at the other stopovers. “There are two reasons for this,” explains Patrick Gilliot. “The first is that the stopover in Nice is a little shorter than the others (three days). The second is related to the layout of the site, which is very compact, limiting us in terms of space. The advantage is that everything is in one place, within easy reach of the public.”
A large crowd is expected at the free village, which will be open until Sunday, when the crews set sail for Genoa. “The boats will arrive and depart in front of Rauba Capeu, a promontory located between the Promenade des Anglais and the port. Visually, it will be incredible, giving spectators a panoramic view of the water,” enthuses Frédéric-Henri Minucci. “Contrary to popular belief, there is an audience for offshore racing on the Côte d’Azur. We think it will be a popular success. We will make sure that the boats are as close as possible to the coast,” says Patrick Gilliot. How much will all this cost? Although he did not wish to comment on this point, Christian Estrosi mentioned “direct aid from the City of Nice of €40,000.“
Could this first collaboration between Nice and The Ocean Race team continue in the future, particularly with a view to the 2027 edition of the round-the-world race? “It’s possible,” replied Johan Salén. “If all goes well this weekend, we will probably start discussions. In any case, the location seems very suitable, there is potential. It is a large city that is easy to access and well connected thanks to an international airport. And for us, it would be great if The Ocean Race made a stopover in France.”
“Hosting The Ocean Race Europe is not about making a splash, but rather about taking a longer-term view. Nice is a city that is very open to the mountains, but a little less so to the sea. This is an opportunity to change that, to gently introduce the French Riviera to the world of ocean racing. But it will all depend on political will,” adds Patrick Gilliot. So what does Christian Estrosi think? “We’re not there yet, but this event simply allows us to take things to the next level,” replies the man who is standing for re-election as mayor next March.
Photo : Vincent Curutchet
