The Ocean Race Europe: 5 things to know before the stopover in Nice from Friday to Sunday

They left Cartagena yesterday at 3 p.m., heading for the Bay of Angels. Two more days, and The Ocean Race Europe fleet will dock in the port of Nice. For the first time, the capital of the Riviera is hosting this major crewed race, which began on August 10 in Kiel.

1. Biotherm in the lead before Nice

On the race front, one crew is dominating the debate: Biotherm, led by Paul Meilhat. Having already won the first two legs, in Portsmouth and Cartagena, the French sailor has taken a comfortable lead in the overall standings, taking the lead again yesterday in Spain. But in the Mediterranean, nothing is ever set in stone. "You can arrive with seven boats grouped together and finish last," he recalls, aware that his pursuers – Paprec Arkéa with Yoann Richomme and Holcim-PRB with Franck Cammas – are on the lookout for the slightest opportunity.

2. A strong French presence

Never before have French sailors been so numerous in the event. Ten in total, spread across six of the seven crews. It includes key figures from the offshore: "the little Mozart of sailing" Franck Cammas, elected sailor of the decade 2010-2020, Paul Meilhat, who is currently leading the race, Yoann Richomme (originally from Fréjus), Nicolas Lunven, but also younger faces like Manon Peyre and Loïs Berrehar. A generation that illustrates the vitality of the French sailing school, as comfortable solo as it is with a crew.

3. A European laboratory

The Ocean Race Europe isn't just about regattas. Each crew carries scientific instruments that collect data at sea on climate and pollution: salinity, oxygen levels, the presence of microplastics, etc. These surveys complement those of global oceanographic networks. This is also what gives the race a European dimension, at the intersection of sport, research, and cooperation. Like the Europe championed by Jacques Delors, where collective action transcends borders.

4. Nice, the public meeting place

From Friday to Sunday, the Nice stopover will offer a unique immersion into the world of ocean racing. The boats will be visible at the Lympia port, and the public will be able to meet the crews and participate in the activities in the race village. The Ocean Dome, an immersive space dedicated to ocean conservation, will be one of the main attractions. On August 30, a speed run will take place opposite the Promenade des Anglais, before the departure for Genoa the following day.

5. The Mediterranean, unpredictable arbiter

After Nice, there are still three stages to go until Montenegro. Suffice it to say that anything can change in this Mediterranean, renowned for its capriciousness. The sailors themselves are smiling about it: "the fan can go off at any moment," Yoann Richomme recently said after a windless night off Almeria. For Franck Cammas, it's the game of the Mediterranean: "one day you're attacking, the next you're being attacked... It's very open and it's never over!" This uncertainty promises tight finishes and a guaranteed spectacle. The Nice sailors will have, for a few days, the European sailing scene within their grasp.