Route du Rhum: Boris Herrmann crosses the finish line - the best pictures, interview, video
Tatjana Pokorny
· 24.11.2022
Boris, you achieved the most important goal in your second Route du Rhum participation: qualifying for the Vendée Globe 2024/2025. What else did the transatlantic race bring you, the team and the new boat?
It has of course led to the discovery of important problems. Especially the problem with the foil bearing, where the metal bolts were bent and threatened to break. It's really important that we've now found this and can fix it. Otherwise that would have cost us in the Ocean Race (Editor: Start 15 January 2022) had a pretty big impact on our plans. But this trip was important.
Do you feel more relieved about what you have achieved, or are you also struggling with disappointment about the content of the race?
For me, relief and disappointment are half and half. Of course I'm a little disappointed with my performance, but also relieved. It's all in balance. I crossed the finish line a bit dispassionately. It could be worse, it could be better.
Can you understand that there was criticism of your performance at home in Germany, or does that annoy you?
Yes, I can imagine that. But more with people who don't really know their way around, who don't really know what it means to launch a new ship like ours. They can't imagine that you can't really race it if it's not ready. My choice of route was also influenced by this. It wasn't as if I hadn't realised that I could have sailed further west into a cold front, upwind, at 25 knots and still be going fast. Fortunately, I didn't do that. Then I would have ended up with even bigger problems. Of course, that was a conscious decision.
Have you ever been angry about the sporting progression yourself, or do you manage to subordinate everything to the medium and long-term goals you have set yourself?
After all, sport and technology go hand in hand. I just lacked a bit of confidence in the boat. As a result, I was travelling with the handbrake on. So I wasn't annoyed, no. I just gave myself over to it. Especially when I was in the doldrums, I almost enjoyed sailing along comfortably. The fact that I couldn't get out of it was almost funny. I had wanted to catch up with Romain Attanasio (Red: The Frenchman sails Boris Herrmann's former "Seaexplorer"), which was within reach. Then I got stuck there and they drove nicely at night. You can have a bit of bad luck sometimes. But I was able to deal with it quite well.
How much can you say about the potential of the new "Malizia - Seaexplorer" after this transatlantic regatta premiere?
I can't deduce or say anything about the potential from this race. But we know from the previous training sessions in Port-La-Forêt that the potential is there and is exciting.
What do you think of Thomas Ruyant's Imoca victory over Charlie Dalin?
You can recognise a bit of the story of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021. This coming downwind at the end but still getting ahead. Thomas is obviously a bit faster with his sail set-up. Thomas was totally up for this regatta. He has already won the Route du Rhum once in the Class 40. And the Mini-Transat. He's got that winning gene. I feel a bit sorry for Charlie. He's the eternal runner-up, that's something that runs through his entire career. That was also the case in the Solitaire du Figaro. It's certainly not easy for Charlie either. Even though he will of course have been proud that he was at the front. People can be disappointed at such different levels: he about his second place in the race, I about being way down the field. But I'm happy for Thomas. I sailed the Transat Jacques Vabre 2017 with him. That was impressive!
How would you rate the performance of Justine Mettraux from Switzerland, who finished seventh as best skipper and best non-French woman on her debut, who else impressed you on this 12th Route du Rhum?
Justine is great, great! She really seems to have what it takes. I was also particularly impressed by all the new ships. The fact that none of the new ships failed. Perhaps the one that impressed me the most was Paul Meilhat (Red.: Sixth with the very young new building "Biotherm"), who now had the fewest sailing days. Even fewer than us. And despite having a lot of technical problems, he still sailed well at the front. However, as a small difference in detail: Of course, these are not newly designed boats. Our ship is a new build and a new concept. That is another step more difficult and something different. You have to give us credit for that, put it in our favour.
But shouldn't Jérémie Beyou's boat "Charal 2", for example, which came third in the Route du Rhum, also be classed as a new build and new construction?
The difference is that they started before and during the last Vendée Globe. We are the only ones who started from scratch after the Vendée Globe.
In a few days, your team will take the boat across the Atlantic to Alicante, where the Ocean Race starts on 15 January. You're flying to Hamburg. When are you travelling to Spain?
I'll be in Alicante on the evening of 1 January. Then we'll be sailing and training.
After the course of this Route du Rhum, have you thought about taking part in the Transat repatriation to experience real offshore conditions with the new boat before the Ocean Race start in Alicante?
No, I won't be sailing with them. And I haven't thought about it. There's still a long way to go with the Ocean Race to the Vendée Globe.
What will be your objective as Team Malizia with Will Harris, Rosalin Kuiper, Nico Lunven and Anbord reporter Antoine Auriol at the start of The Ocean Race?
To sail as well as possible, of course! There are only five of us at the start. We want to give it our all and go full throttle.
