The inshore section at the start of leg 7 got underway in favourable conditions with Team Malizia getting off to a good start. Towards the end of the first lap, two boats collided and were forced to return to the harbour in The Hague to assess the damage and their options, all crew from both boats involved are safe.
Racing for the remaining three boats continued, with Team Malizia second through the departure gates as they headed away from The Hague to negotiate the English Channel. From there, the route takes them past the northern tip of Spain and along Portugal’s Atlantic coastline before entering the Mediterranean towards Genova, the host city for The Ocean Race Grand Finale. A designated UNESCO World Heritage site, Genova is Italy’s sailing capital, so an enthusiastic crowd is expected to greet the boats on arrival.
Team Malizia have reunited their original crew for the final push to Genova, with experienced navigator Nico Lunven returning to join skipper Boris Herrmann, Will Harris, Rosalin Kuiper and on-board reporter Antoine Auriol.
Team Malizia currently sit in third place in the overall ranking and will be aiming for a strong finish to the last leg in their 31,300 nautical mile journey around the world. Boris Herrmann commented before the leg start: “There is still a lot to play for…it will be a long and complicated race towards Genova, with a variety of weather challenges and strategic situations.”
The final leg is anticipated to last around 10-12 days, with an estimated arrival in Genova on Sunday, 25 June. After that, there will be one more race in the In-Port series on Saturday, 01 July, before this edition of The Ocean Race comes to a close.
For more information and to follow the race, head to Team Malizia's website and social media channels (YouTube, Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram) or visit The Ocean Race website.