Globe40: "Anything is possible, but we have to stay true to ourselves"

The Globe40 has been running for 77 days. It began on 31 August with the prologue from Lorient to Cádiz. This was followed by the first two legs to Mindelo in Cape Verde and La Réunion in the Indian Ocean. After their Boris Herrmann's last-minute decision in favour of a circumnavigation of the globe and only three months of preparation time, Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink and their team Next Generation Boating Around the World are the lucky runners-up in the intermediate classification.

Globe40: "New start" with stage three

Still on everyone's lips the crime thriller finale from La Réunionas the first three boats crossed the finish line within less than ten minutes came. Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink had already fallen behind by more than 650 nautical miles on leg two, until they managed a furious comeback on their first passage of the Cape of Good Hope and finally in the Indian Ocean. It led the youngest crew in the race to silver in the final sprint. Click here for the detailed results of stage two in Globe40.

With a lead of less than two minutes, Burke and Fink were able to relegate the big race favourites Ian Lipinski and Amélie Grassi to third place. This one place better on the longest leg of the Globe40, which was sailed more than 8,000 metres over ground, also put Team Germany in second place in the interim standings. A third of the points in the eight-team circumnavigation have been awarded. Although Ian Lipinski first won the prologue and also stage one with Antoine Carpentier, he is in third place with "Crédit Mutuel" on 10.5 points, half a point behind the Germans (10 points).

Because the long third leg counted three times, Benoit Hantzperg and Renaud Dehareng catapulted their team Belgium Ocean Racing - Curium to first place in the Globe40 standings after their previous third and second places with the leg win to La Réunion and only 6.5 points so far. So the cards are stacked before the start of stage three. "It's almost like a fresh start, good for the race," said Melwin Fink. Click here for the intermediate standings in the Globe 40 after the prologue and the first two stages.

The double challenge: circumnavigating the globe and founding a shipyard

His team, Next Generation Boating Around the World, had put a week's work into their own boat immediately after the almost 30-day leg, before taking a few days off. In contrast to the other two top three crews, they don't have any preparators and, with a tight budget, can't afford to have technicians flown in for every stopover in Globe40. "Maybe to Sydney," hopes Fink.

The sponsorship for Burke and Fink is partially split, flowing to the only German team in Globe40 at fixed intervals. With a total of less than half a million euros, Burke and Fink have to keep a tight rein on their first circumnavigation. "We can definitely do it. We just have to get through the two months this year. Things will be a little better next year. Then the next instalments will come. Then we'll be a bit more liquid again. But it's pretty tough," says Fink, reflecting the reality.

What helps is their own company, as Lennart Burke explains: "We are very happy that we have our shipyard, which can always pre-finance a little bit. But not in such a way that we always carry on making money. Of course, it always has to flow back quickly. We are still a very young shipyard and are just starting up a second shipyard. We are currently building it together with Rasmus Töpsch in Kiel."

Multitasking as a trademark at Globe40

In the German Sailing City, construction is progressing even in the absence of the circumnavigators. Lennart Burke says: "The hall is still being completed as a new building, but things are getting underway. Surprisingly fast again, so typical of Lennart and Melwin. The first ship is already in the hall. The next three will come in next week. Great customers, great projects, great tasks. We've been working there all winter."

You might think that the two youngsters have a huge challenge to master with the ongoing circumnavigation alone, but multitasking "made in Germany" remains their trademark. The Globe40 will continue until mid-April 2026, when it ends in the start and finish harbour of Lorient. Burke and Fink are aware of their situation when sailing and are not overly cautious with their equipment, but very careful.

Despite almost 30 days at sea, the "construction sites" that the team had to fix themselves in the stage harbour on La Réunion were correspondingly manageable. "Most of it was maintenance, the winches looked terrible," says Melwin Fink. This was one of the areas where the two sailors' girlfriends lent a hand.

No structural problems and a repaired heating system

"Ellie and Emilia painstakingly serviced all the winches. Then we swapped the ropes. So the rudder downhaulers. They now have a few miles. We re-spliced something on the spinnaker halyard so that one spot doesn't chafe so much. We moved an area that was always under strain so that it wouldn't break," explains Melwin Fink.

To this end, the team has made minor repairs to its sails, had chafe marks reworked by the sailmaker and reinforced the mainsail in places where it chafes against the Sailing. "Chafe marks had already formed there too," explains Melwin Fink, "actually all reactions to normal wear and tear." There are no structural problems. Only one support on a rudder blade had broken off. Master boat builder Markus "Porky" Mehlen rebuilt it at home before it was adapted and fitted by Lennart Burke.

On Monday morning, we go to the sailmaker on La Réunion. "That's where we check the repairs to our sails," says Lennart Burke. His team can also look forward to the repaired on-board heating system, which the owner of Luxury Marine and yacht broker Ben Vaes took care of on La Réunion. The father of Lennart Burke's partner supports the team on site. After overhauling the Class40, they also explored La Réunion together in small and large groups.

On the road on La Réunion

"It's a really cool island. I'm totally impressed," says Burke after the excursions on the island in the Indian Ocean. Burke says: "The climate is very pleasant, which is certainly also due to the time of year, because it's just going from winter to summer here. Beautiful nature, super green. We went on a tour yesterday. The guide said there are up to 200 different microclimates on the island."

According to Burke, the types of vegetation ranged from "barren lava landscape" to "beautiful tropical forest" and "fantastic white sandy beaches". They abseiled down an 85-metre cliff one after the other on their trip together. The memories remain, but in a few days, the circumnavigation will take over again when the starting signal for the third leg to Sydney is given on 21 November.

What have they learnt so far about their two toughest rivals? "I think that Ian Lipinski is the best strategically and has the most experience," says Lennart Burke. Melwin Fink adds: "I would say the Belgians have the best boat. Their design is the best for reaching and it can also do very well upwind. It's okay in light winds, better than the other two." In addition, according to Burke and Fink, the Belgians' main sponsor is part of the sailing team, which has a generous budget.

Between stepping on the gas and paying attention in Globe40

In view of the closely contested podium places, Mewlin Fink says: "Nothing has been decided yet in Globe40. We are all so close together. What you have to say is that the two (ed.: Crédit Mutuel, Belgium Ocean Racing - Curium) pushed very hard and also caused a lot of technical problems. Maybe none that cost them any performance during the leg, but the boats were already very worn out."

This is where Burke and Fink see a big difference between the French, Belgians and their team. Fink says: "We were the opposite. We also pushed hard, but also looked after our equipment. At certain moments, we took it down a gear and they didn't. I think they've taken more risks so far because they can afford to. The question is to what extent they can afford to do so. But they've had a better start, whereas we have to be a bit more cautious."

There is also material fatigue that you can't see." Lennart Burke

However, the approach so far has not led to a disadvantage for Team Next Generation Boating Around the World. "We've seen that," says Fink with regard to the results so far, in particular second place in stage two, "it will be very exciting to see what happens in the next stages, but we will remain true to ourselves."

A lot of confidence in your own boat

The next generation is very happy with their own boat, the Pogo 40 S4, so far. Burke says: "We have great confidence in our boat and have known it for a very long time. We have become one with the boat, we know every part, every propeller. We can control the boat well as a result."

We hear problems. If the boat is not doing well, it tells us." Melwin Fink

Burke and Fink are keeping a close eye on their somewhat fragile and detailed rudder system in particular. "It's not the best. We always have to keep a close eye on it, check it carefully and replace a lot of parts. We've broken a lot of things in the past, so we know exactly what can go wrong," says Melwin Fink. Why didn't they replace or rebuild the system before the circumnavigation? "We simply didn't have the time or money for that, but we replace it regularly and no longer have any problems," says Lennart Burke.

When the starting signal for leg three is given next Friday, the eight Globe40 crews can expect a presumably flat start. On the course to Sydney, they will initially be allowed to go down to the 46th parallel, and later even to the 48th parallel south. "We'll do that if we can," says Melwin Fink. The goal is clear: to reach Sydney in the best possible position and celebrate Christmas there in the Australian summer. A major refit for the boat is also planned in the former Olympic metropolis.

The successful Globe40 concept is here to stay

Among other things, they want to pull and check the mast. "If we manage to find a bit more support, then we'll also have two boat builders come, otherwise it's going to be a really tough job," Melwin Fink suspects. But before that is stage three. Fink says: "Anything is possible, but we have to stay true to ourselves. We have to continue what we have done in the last three stages. That was our recipe for success, and that's how we'll continue now."

Melwin Fink adds with a greeting to his rivals: "If the others think they have to set speed records again, then let them do it. And if we can expect the boat to do that, then we will. But we have a very deep insight into the technology of our boat. The others don't have that either. They hand in lists to their preparers and then go on holiday for three weeks. We know every part ourselves and I think we can assess it quite well."

For Lennart Burke, the Globe40 route is also clear: "Stay down to earth, authentic. Don't think you're suddenly the best sailor just because you came second on a big leg. Keep having fun with it." Melwin Fink adds: "We managed to organise this circumnavigation with three months of preparation. If we get round, then we will have achieved something that only a handful of people in Germany have managed on their own two feet. Then we would have already achieved a major goal for the first circumnavigation."

Of course, the best thing would be if we were to win the race. But the worst thing would be if we had to abandon the race." Melwin Fink