Transat CIC: Strong first start to the Vendée Globe year - Boris Herrmann finishes in second place
Tatjana Pokorny
· 06.05.2024
Boris Herrmann has successfully completed his first solo regatta of the year. The 42-year-old from Hamburg finished second in the Transat CIC late on Monday evening. The "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper mastered the approximately 3,500 nautical mile long Transat classic from Lorient in Brittany across the North Atlantic to the finish line 110 nautical miles off New York in 8 days, 9 hours, 12 minutes and 31 seconds. His average speed over ground: 16.16 knots.
Imoca class leader and Transat winner is Frenchman Yoann Richomme, who completed the North Atlantic Marathon in a fabulous race time of 8 days, 6 hours, 53 minutes and 32 seconds. Richomme achieved an average speed of 16.56 knots over ground. The man with the rugby physique and the clever yacht designer's head was already considered one of three French favourites before the start of the race.
Yoann Richomme came second in the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023 and won his first ever Imoca solo, the Retour à La Base, with his fast Finot-Conq/Antoine-Koch design at the end of the year. This comparison also shows how fast the current best foilers in the Imoca class have become in just a few years: eight years ago, François Gabart won the Transat CIC with his huge Ultim-Tri in 8 days and 8 hours. Eight years later, an Imoca has beaten that time.
The winner came to New York by sea for the first time
After his win, Yoann Richomme said late Monday night: "It's so nice to win this crazy, tough historic race that really launched ocean sailing with Éric Tabarly winning and so on. I'm very proud to have achieved this. And it's the first time I've arrived in New York by sea, so I have that to look forward to. I'm happy and proud of the work the team has done."
Boris has a very fast boat downwind" (Yoann Richomme)
Richomme continued: "To win two consecutive transats shows that we are working well. After the start I had a few small problems with sail choice and a few power issues, but I set some good courses and am happy with the speed of the boat. I'm proud of my course through the low. We had a good race, Charlie (Editor: referring to "Macif" skipper Charlie Dalin). I implemented my strategy well. But everything is wet, wet through and through, and it's hard to imagine living like this for two or three months at the Vendée Globe. Boris' race was also good. He has a very fast boat upwind."
Franco-German friendship after the final
For Boris Herrmann, his second place, which saw him come within a nautical mile of Richomme on 5 May, was above all a strong and welcome confirmation of the performance of his Imoca, which had been fitted with new foils and overhauled during the winter. Herrmann wanted to "boost his self-confidence with a good result" at the start of his second Vendée Globe participation season, which is so important to him. After a rather conservative start, a mainsail tear in the early stages, a successful repair at sea and a furious race to catch up in sometimes very harsh conditions, he achieved this in an outstanding and motivating manner.
"Everything is under the light of the Vendée Globe. It's about the best possible preparation," said Boris Herrmann on the evening of his transat finish. He was then met at the finish by his conqueror Yoann Richomme. Together, the Frenchman and the German tackled the remaining 100-plus nautical miles to New York, taking it in turns to sleep or watch over each other in the increasing ship traffic.
The first three Imoca skippers are invited to sail past the Statue of Liberty at the end of their ten to twelve-hour voyage to New York, first mooring at the pontoon of honour in One 15° Brooklyn Marina in front of Manhattan's skyline. Later, "Malizia - Seaexplorer" will be moored in the Moonbeam Marina in New York City until the starting signal for the return race New York Vendée is given on 29 May.
