The Ocean Race and Vendée Globe: Boris Herrmann announces historic one-two punch

Boris Herrmann is making German sailing dream bigger than ever before. 16 days before his 40th birthday on 28 May, the circumnavigator has announced new summit conquests at sea in Hamburg. The sailing pro is following up his sensational Vendée Globe premiere with an even more spectacular one-two punch: With his team Malizia, Herrmann wants to take part in two of the four most important regattas in international sailing over the next five years. He made the announcement at an online press conference on Wednesday afternoon. In an exclusive interview with YACHT online, Herrmann said: "We have now succeeded in putting our campaign on a solid footing for several years. It wasn't always like this, and that makes us happy. We will be taking part in The Ocean Race 2022/23 and the Vendée Globe 2024/25. We have a lot of experience in the team, which puts us in a good pole position."

The go-ahead for design and construction has long since been given and the most important decisions have been made. The new boat, which will be registered in Hamburg, is already under construction in France. It should be ready in June 2022. The first tests in Breton waters and the final outfitting of the racing yacht are planned for July. The renowned VPLP office is responsible for the boat design in collaboration with Herrmann's core team, which has grown to include a number of French experts. The Imoca yacht, which is around 18 metres long, will be built at the Multiplast shipyard in Vannes. Team Malizia's organisational headquarters will remain in Hamburg, the technical team base in Lorient in Brittany and the home club the Yacht Club de Monaco.

Seven companies have formed a new family of partners. They are supporting Germany's best-known ocean racing sailor and Team Maliza in what Herrmann describes as a "well-financed" five-year campaign under the German flag. In addition to the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG Bank, Kühne + Nagel, MSC and Hapag Lloyd, the Zurich Group Germany and Schütz Composites will also be on board with Boris Herrmann in future. Herrmann and his team have been working almost around the clock over the past three months to bring this functioning orchestra together. Herrmann sees the two races as a "dream combination": "It's a team race with stopovers and a non-stop solo race. This makes the races complementary. Each is very fascinating in its own way."

The already familiar boat name remains: With the "Seaexplorer" and its crew led by skipper Boris Herrmann, a German team will be taking part in the leading team race around the world for the first time in two decades. In 2001/02, the illbruck Challenge was the first and so far only German team to win the race, which was still organised under the name Volvo Ocean Race. The starting signal for the 14th edition of the ocean marathon, which premiered in 1973/74 as the Whitbread Round the World Race, will be given in October 2022. The Ocean Race will be sailed in two classes. For the first time, one of these will be the Imocas, which will be sailed in The Ocean Race by four-person crews with at least one woman. An on-board reporter is also included in each class. The Imocas will then be sailed around the world again by soloists in a non-stop race in the tenth anniversary edition of the Vendée Globe 2024/25. Herrmann will be one of them. He says: "Sailing a lot helps a lot. By taking part in The Ocean Race, you also gain important experience with the boat in the southern seas. We are working to an ambitious schedule, but will then have the advantage of a much broader horizon of experience for the Vendée Globe."

The family man, who lives in Hamburg's Hafencity with his wife Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann and daughter Marie-Louise, only needed a good 100 days after his highly acclaimed Vendée Globe final to put together the biggest regatta package in the history of German sailing to date. "We are very happy about that and also a little proud. It was a phenomenal team effort!" said Herrmann about the intensive work since crossing the finish line on 28 January. The team's five-year plan includes not only the two races in the international spotlight, but also a total of 18 single and double-handed regattas as well as team races in 15 countries.

Herrmann continued a few days before the upcoming first family holiday on home soil in almost a year: "All partners support our slogan, which will be displayed on the boat: A Race we must win - a race we must win!" This refers to Herrmann's efforts in the fight for the health of the oceans and the "My Ocean Challenge" education programme developed with his wife, as well as the sporting goals for both challenges. Herrmann finished his Vendée Globe premiere in fifth place. He wants more next time: "We will do everything we can to fight for victory in both races."