Why the final leg of the Ocean Race Europe was far from straightforward

On the face of it Paul Meilhat's Biotherm had pretty much won the Ocean Race Europe ahead of the final leg from Italy to Montenegro.Their command of the race over the previous four legs had been dominant, but, on paper it was still their to lose. So, while they might have had a 12 point lead, over second placed Paprec Arkea there were still 16 points on the table thanks to leg 5, the scoring gate points and the final coastal race that counted for as many as the final offshore leg. It was clear just from the route that the final offshore leg was also a very twisty, tricky tactical leg that had potholes and speed bumps all over it. And that is just how it played out. Leg 5 was the most stressful of the lot and a leg that also delivered some of the biggest surprises. This made leg 5 and the coastal races fitting curtain callers to an amazing six week event that had delivered way more than anyone had expected. Here's how it panned out.