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Team Malizia snatches 4th place

After six days of intense racing round the British Isles, Malizia-Seaexplorer crossed the finish of the Course des Caps in 4th on Saturday evening in Boulogne-sur-Mer. It was an impressive performance for the IMOCA, skippered by Will Harris on this occasion who is usually the boat’s co-skipper alongside Boris Herrmann.

This was the 1st edition of the Course des Caps, a 2,000-nautical-mile event on the IMOCA circuit, and the British sailor was racing with a reduced crew. Having left on 29 June, Malizia-Explorer completed the course in 6 days 6 hours 4 minutes at an average speed of 13.59 knots.

Conditions were challenging on different levels throughout the race, with light variable airs on the start in the English Channel, complex transitions up the Irish coast before the wind built in for the Scottish seas, and a full speed downwind entry into the North Sea .

The most intense stretch was after rounding Papa Westray and Ronaldsay north of Shetland, when the crew were at maximum speed, regularly touching 30 knots. A relentless battle ensued with their immediate rivals in a series of cat and mouse tactical tacks all the way to Boulogne.

On Malizia-Seaexplorer the crew had to contend with some technical issues but despite that kept up the pace to secure their place in the top five, less than five hours adrift of the winner MACIF Santé Prévoyance, skippered by Sam Goodchild.

This 4th place marks an important step in the team’s preparations for the iconic Admiral’s Cup that starts 17 July in Cowes. Will Harris and the team will be there with Pierre Casiraghi, YCM Vice-President and co-founder of Team Malizia, aboard the Carkeek 40 Jolt 6.