Looking to new horizons with Team Amaala

The Swiss Offshore Team, which brings together Switzerland's offshore sailing talents of tomorrow, has completed The Ocean Race Europe. According to skipper Alan Roura, this adventure sets the stage for the future.

The curtain has fallen on The Ocean Race Europe for Team Amaala, which finished 7th after seven weeks of racing, five legs, and countless memorable moments as the youngest crew in the fleet. There is no doubt: the highs far outweighed the lows.

The Swiss Offshore Team never gave up and achieved every goal it had set for itself—sailing from point A to point B, not once or twice, but five times, across as many stages from Kiel, Germany, to Boka Bay in Montenegro. They brought the next generation of sailors on board, learned, adapted, and fought with their own weapons against the best professional sailors in the world.

“Seven weeks of crazy intensity for me,” sums up Alan Roura, the long-distance skipper who never left the boat, guiding a whole new generation of Swiss sailors. “I learned a lot during this race. It was my first time taking on the role of skipper in a crew, and I also grew as a sailor—especially through the number of starts we had, which are phases we don’t usually practice much. In seven weeks, I made as many starts as I would normally do in two years!”

A desire to pass on knowledge
With a boat whose strengths and weaknesses were already well known, the priority was to set a process in motion, looking ahead to the next editions of The Ocean Race—first the Atlantic in 2026, and then, of course, the round-the-world challenge in 2027. This was the central objective of the project launched by Alan Roura, Simon Koster, and Elodie Mettraux.

The idea was first planted in 2024, when the three experienced sailors envisioned a Swiss offshore racing team. In the spring of 2025, after completing his third Vendée Globe, Alan Roura and his team were able to turn that vision into reality thanks to the commitment of Amaala. From the very first announcement, the crewed challenge sparked a wave of enthusiasm that has never waned.

Three months for a bold gamble
Three months to make everything happen. A daring bet, but one that reflects the Geneva skipper’s belief that anything is possible. “It’ll be fine” has become Alan Roura’s trademark phrase—a mantra he has carried since he first set out to sea at the age of 20. It embodies the passion, confidence, and thirst for the open ocean that he now seeks to pass on to young Swiss sailors, who too often lack opportunities to experience salt water.

“That’s the whole philosophy behind this project with Amaala,” he explains. “To give these young sailors, who come from very different sailing backgrounds, the chance to discover offshore sailing and compete in major races.”

After a rigorous selection process and an intense crash course in training, the first real victory was simply making it to the starting line on time. “The schedule was tight, but with everyone fully committed—from the sailors to the technical team to communications—we managed to be ready for the big start in Kiel, a moment none of us will ever forget. The parade to the boats, the crowd, and then that reaching start… it was incredible!”

Those moments were so memorable that it was easy to forget the reality: with an older, inevitably slower boat, the team had to focus on objectives beyond pure performance. Step by step, crew change after crew change, Team Amaala began to win over the public.

“No doubt because we never gave up, even though some of our young sailors had never spent a single night racing at sea on a boat like ours,” explains Alan Roura. “But also because, despite the difficulties, we always managed to keep smiling and stay in good spirits.”

The iconic café terraces
A contagious joie de vivre and a thirst for learning ran through the team. “I joined for the final leg, and it’s true that the atmosphere on board was perfect,” says Yann Burkhalter. “Even with the tough living conditions in such a confined space, and the tricky weather with endless calms, we all got along remarkably well. Our coffee breaks on deck were magical moments—something the team, and Alan in particular, created to bring everyone together.”

In crewed racing, the human factor is often the hardest element to manage. At Team Amaala, it was handled masterfully—at least according to everyone involved. “We made the right choices during the selection process,” says Alan Roura. “We placed great emphasis on the human and mental side, because beyond this European race, our sights are set on a round-the-world challenge. Spending weeks together in often extreme conditions is never easy. That’s why this first experience was so positive: there were no conflicts, no raised voices. Everyone was able to contribute their ideas and share their feelings.”

A remarkable unity, reinforced by performances that went beyond the scoreboard. “Despite the crew changes, we kept improving with every stage,” says Alan Roura. “As the youngest and least experienced team, sailing a slower boat, we still held our own and made the most of our chances.”

Earning the respect of their peers
A boat pushed to its limits, and sailors who kept smiling through it all. Team AMAALA left a lasting impression on this edition of The Ocean Race Europe—while laying the foundations for the seasons ahead. “Several sailors from other teams came to congratulate us and wish us well for the future, hoping we would soon have a more competitive boat and a crew with even more experience. That kind of genuine recognition is the most wonderful thing—it warms our hearts and, above all, gives us the drive to keep building on what we’ve started.”

Over the coming weeks, the boat will join AMAALA on the Red Sea coast, while discussions with partners and several Swiss prospects are already underway, with the aim of building on this first crewed experience.

“The idea is to secure a newer, more competitive boat to take the project forward, giving us the means to challenge the best in the world in 2027—starting in 2026 with a mixed-crew transatlantic race that we’re really excited about,” concludes Alan Roura.