The most prestigious international regatta, The Ocean Race Europe 2025, will start on August 10 from Kiel, Germany, while Montenegro and the Bay of Kotor will host the spectacular finale from September 15 to 21, the organizers announced.
The first 850 nautical mile leg takes the fleet to Portsmouth, England, and the second leg includes a 1.400 nautical mile race to Cartagena, with a pass off the coast in Matosinhos.
The next 650-nautical-mile leg takes the crews through the Mediterranean to the finish in Nice, before the fleet embarks on a planned fourth 600-nautical-mile leg to Genoa. The final, fifth leg, about 1.000 nautical miles long, takes the crews into the Adriatic, to the finish in the Bay of Kotor.
Race director Phil Lawrence said the race route would fully test the teams in a variety of conditions.
"The race around Europe is a major challenge, taking the fleet through the busy waters of the North Sea, through the narrow English Channel, then into the open waters of the Atlantic, before tackling the challenging conditions of the Mediterranean and Adriatic," said Lawrence.
According to him, the crews will have to deliver top performance in all conditions to reach the podium.
"There is a high probability that the race will be decided in the final points regatta in the Bay of Kotor," said Lawrence.
The winner of The Ocean Race Europe will be the team that scores the most points during the race.
The winner of each stage receives as many points as there are participants in the race. Second place receives one point less, and so on.
Additional points can be won during the offshore stages for the first two teams to pass through the scoring gate - usually set up shortly after the start - with two points for the first boat and one point for the second.
The final stop in the Bay of Kotor will include a short coastal regatta on September 20th, in which points will be awarded as for the offshore leg. In addition to competing for the prestigious The Ocean Race Europe trophy, the crews will also participate in the "Racing for the Ocean" initiative, aimed at renewing society's relationship with the oceans.
During the race, the ships will be equipped with scientific instruments to measure key ocean parameters, such as water temperature and salinity, oxygen and CO₂ levels, microplastic and eDNA concentrations.
Media partner Warner Bros. Discovery (Eurosport, TNT Sports, MAX) will provide live coverage of the start of the race in Kiel and the final coastal regatta in the Bay of Kotor, with 14 shows during the race bringing the action from the boats closer.
Each port during The Ocean Race Europe 2025 will have an Ocean Live Park - a space where visitors can experience the race up close, learn about ocean health and try their hand at activities such as sailing and water sports.
The free Ocean Live Parks will be the central venue for events, entertainment programs, food and beverage offerings - as well as all other activities organized by The Ocean Race, host cities, local sponsors and other partners.
Key attractions for visitors to these parks include the opportunity to mingle with competitive sailors during Fan Day, a tour of the IMOCA cockpit simulation, the official Helly Hansen equipment store, the Volvo Studio, as well as a rich program on the main stage and other events from host and sponsor cities.
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