Nice, August 29, 2025 - The third leg of The Ocean Race Europe, from Cartagena to Nice (850 miles), was a long exercise in patience for the crews in the light winds of the Mediterranean. While "Biotherm" once again dominated the race ahead of "Holcim PRB", "Allagrande Mapei" finished in third position, securing Ambrogio Beccaria's first IMOCA podium.
From Cartagena to Nice
From the start, the fleet remained trapped in the light winds of the Balearic Islands, under a weak north-easterly wind that forced the IMOCAs to perform many maneuvers. In this ballet of tacks near Ibiza and Mallorca, "Allagrande Mapei" always remained in the leading group, often in third or fourth position behind "Biotherm" and "Holcim-PRB", with Ambrogio Beccaria and the crew working hard not to fall behind.
The next day, the race turned into a puzzle off Mallorca: doldrums, windless zones, and even some forced retreats slowed the fleet. "Allagrande Mapei" resumed its duel from the second leg with "Malizia", both forced to manage a delay of about thirty miles. However, at dawn, a change and strengthening of the north-easterly wind allowed the race to restart.
The Mediterranean presented its share of contrasts: a lot of beating in a rough sea, then some precious reaching allowed Ambrogio and his companions to close the gap with the leading duo. Off the island of Porquerolles, the team tried to challenge "Biotherm" and "Holcim - PRB", but the duo remained out of reach.
At this point, all that remained was to defend the third step of the podium from the constant pressure of "Paprec Arkéa". "Allagrande Mapei" managed to maintain the lead until the finish, in the Bay of Angels, in front of Nice, at the end of a very light and particularly uncertain final leg.
At 06:32, after 2 days, 17 hours, 32 minutes and 19 seconds of racing, Ambrogio, Thomas, Morgan and Abby crossed the finish line in third position. A performance resulting from a tight battle, rewarded with five points and a podium that confirms the team's constant growth, already fourth in Cartagena.
Ambrogio Beccaria, skipper: "After a particularly complicated start, here is finally the first podium for "Allagrande Mapei". And we achieved it in the best way, growing step by step. It's always nicer to climb than to descend, and there are still two steps left... it would be a dream to continue this progression. The Mediterranean is an anarchic, unpredictable but incredible sea. It requires a lot of instinct, sometimes you have to forget the computer and look at the clouds more. It's the sea where I grew up, and this Mediterranean leg was another lesson.
The crew put an incredible amount of energy into this leg. Thomas, off duty, constantly managed the navigation; Morgan trimmed and helmed like crazy; Abby was impressive and inspiring, super solid in every maneuver; I was a bit of the "Swiss army knife," comfortable with speed and trajectories, with the role of motivating and refueling when needed. The shift system worked better, and we were able to manage energy. The boat still has performance gaps, but we know it well, we know when to strike to have an agility that others don't. Fortunately, the wind arrived, and this allowed us to achieve a good result.".
Thomas Ruyant, co-skipper: "An intense and challenging leg! The weather phenomena coming from the Atlantic made the Mediterranean particularly dynamic, with storms complicating the reading of the sea, which made everything even more interesting. Throughout the leg, we managed to adapt with what we had and according to our competitors, to always stay in the race. "Allagrande Mapei" is a boat designed for offshore and downwind sailing, more suited to the Vendée Globe format. In front of us are very versatile boats, led by solid crews: a great motivation to make the most of our strengths.
On board, the shift system is improving, and we continue to refine it. With four people, organization is a challenge, especially with such variable weather. The legs are short, as are the stops, and perhaps that is the trap. But the race is still long, all stages count, and we are already restarting on Sunday for Genoa, where we know we are expected."
Nice-Genoa: the fourth leg starts Sunday, August 30 at 5:00 PM
For the fourth leg, the "leg jumper" of "Allagrande Mapei" will be Stefano Deri, sales director of Mapei Italia. Born and raised in Savona, he is passionate about the sea and has been sailing since childhood: "Growing up, I continued to experience the sea in all its forms: from small pilot boats in the port of Savona, to dinghies, windsurfing, regattas, and then becoming the owner of small sailing boats."
"When they asked me to participate as a jumper, I didn't hesitate - Deri continues - it was a unique opportunity to get on board an IMOCA 60 and be part of a team of super sailors. I have been following the "Allagrande Mapei" project with enthusiasm since the beginning. I like that a large company chooses sailing to tell its story: it is a sport that teaches universal values such as planning, adaptation, resilience, teamwork, responsibility."
"Sailing is much more than a technical gesture: it is a metaphor for life, for the ability to face the unexpected, for respect for nature, for the strength to put oneself to the test every day. In this, I feel I can contribute, even with a small gesture like jumping from the boat at the start, to an extraordinary adventure."
The start of the fourth leg, from Nice to Genoa, is on Sunday, August 30 at 5:00 PM and the crew is composed of Ambrogio Beccaria, Thomas Ruyant, Morgan Lagravière, Manon Peyre and Pierre Bouras.
