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The Ocean Race Europe 2025: Nice, the only French port of the adventure

Nice will be the only French stopover of The Ocean Race Europe 2025, at the heart of a seven-week journey across Europe.
The race is part of an active scientific approach, with the collection of onboard oceanographic data, and contributes to the preservation of the oceans.
Nice strengthens its role as a host city for international sea-related events, after hosting the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in 2025.

A flagship race, halfway between sport and European commitment

Launched on August 10 from Kiel, Germany, The Ocean Race Europe 2025 will travel through seven maritime stages to Kotor, Montenegro. Nice, the only French stop on the route, will host the IMOCA boats in its bay from August 29 to 31. This mid-stage symbolizes a Mediterranean anchor point in a race historically dominated by Atlantic routes.

The Ocean Race, with its crewed format and IMOCA monohulls, places sporting competition at the heart of a unifying project on a continental scale. Its revival since 2021 continues the spirit of the Course of Europe, created in the 1980s under the impetus of the European Commission. The strategic positioning of Nice responds to this ambition to reconnect Europeans through the sea.

Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region: “In 2025, Nice puts the Ocean at the top. After hosting the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference, I am very pleased to welcome, for the first time and as the only French stopover, The Ocean Race Europe, a sailing race that promotes team spirit, connects European ports, and collects valuable scientific data for researchers. This Nice stage will offer the public a magnificent spectacle and participants the enchanting setting of our Baie des Anges. With this international event, Nice confirms its capacity to host global events and its commitment to promoting all initiatives aimed at sustainably preserving our oceans.”

Racing for The Ocean: onboard science and data for the future of the oceans

Environmental commitment is central to the structure of The Ocean Race. Each boat will be equipped with sensors designed to measure temperature, salinity, microplastics, and environmental DNA. These data, shared with IFREMER, CNRS, and Météo-France, will enrich research on the health of European waters.

This scientific dimension particularly resonates in Nice. In June 2024, the city hosted the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC). In this continuity, The Ocean Race is, to date, the only sporting event included in the UNOC-related programme in Nice.

An economic dynamic supported by infrastructure and blue innovation

The Ocean Race Europe adds to the major events that make Nice a stronghold of international sport. The city capitalizes on modern sports infrastructure, logistical accessibility via the Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, and an entrepreneurial ecosystem focused on sustainable development.

Hosting the race offers local companies and partners a unique platform for international visibility. It highlights values of performance, endurance, and positive impact, particularly in the fields of sport, well-being, and blue technology.

Startups such as Nolt, specialized in sustainable sports equipment, or Lanéva, manufacturer of high-end electric boats, illustrate this Nice-based dynamic combining innovation and ecological transition. The Ocean Race thus becomes a brand image lever for companies seeking coherence between responsible communication and real-world commitment.

A confirmed host city for major international events

Nice has proven experience in hosting global sporting events: start of the Tour de France (2020), finish in 2024, IronMan, Top 14, UTMB, and Olympic events. This logistical and event expertise enables the city to offer the IMOCA teams a tailored welcome, accessible to the general public.

The “Ocean Live Park” village, set up at Quai Amiral Infernet, will be open free of charge from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (7 p.m. on Sunday). It will feature educational activities, onboard IMOCA immersions, conferences, food stands, and music. A nautical parade is scheduled for Saturday, and the race start will be broadcast on giant screens. The fleet will be visible from Monaco on Sunday evening, offering a strategic vantage point.

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A fleet of experienced sailors, connected to the SUD region

Seven mixed teams will take part in this second edition. Ten skippers are former Vendée Globe participants, including Yoann Richomme (born in Fréjus), Paul Meilhat, Thomas Ruyant, and Justine Mettraux. Several were born or trained along the Mediterranean coast, such as Franck Cammas (Aix-en-Provence), Christopher Pratt (Marseille), or Manon Peyre (trained in Marseille).

Johan Salén, Director of The Ocean Race: “With so many sailors and IMOCA teams that are French or linked to France, we wanted to send a strong message by stopping here. This stopover in Nice is also an opportunity to shift attention in offshore racing—traditionally focused on the Atlantic coast—towards the Mediterranean. It’s an excellent opportunity to showcase the unique charms of The Ocean Race Europe, a crewed IMOCA race that ventures into places not used to hosting offshore racing events. We are also very pleased to present our ‘Racing For The Ocean’ initiatives, dedicated to ocean health, in Nice—the city that recently hosted the UNOC. It is an important mission to continue the effort initiated and to commit as much as possible to inspire change in favor of a healthier ocean.”