A pitch-black night, stormy seas and a lonely finish in the Bay of Biscay: Boris Herrmann finished his second Vendée Globe in twelfth place after 80 days, 10 hours, 16 minutes and 41 seconds. He beat his own time from his premiere four years earlier (80 days, 14 hours, 59 minutes and 45 seconds) by a good four and a half hours. "Luckily I was faster," he said after crossing the finish line.
Learned for the third Vendée Globe
The French Vendée Globe dominator Charlie Dalin was a good fifteen and a half days behind. The "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper crossed the finish line off Les Sables-d'Olonne at 11.18 pm on a dark Thursday night in choppy seas. Hard as it had been for Ben Dutreux and Clarisse Crémer: Herrmann was unable to enter the harbour after his 1950-hour solo for safety reasons. He spent one last night alone at sea before his team was able to come on board on Thursday morning.
We have learnt a few things from this race. Now we have to do another one to put these things into practice." Boris Herrmann
"It is done. It is done. We have arrived safely," said Boris Herrmann after crossing the finish line. The prevailing feeling for the 43-year-old ocean-going professional from Hamburg: relief after the difficult test. Boris Herrmann was unable to achieve his minimum goal of a top ten finish in this second solo round-the-world race.
Early deficit, breathless race to catch up
Early bad luck with clouds in the Atlantic doldrums, coupled with small strategic missteps and a small weakness in the start of "Malizia - Seaexplorer" out of light winds, had cost him the connection to the leading group. At first it was only 100 miles, but then the front runners roared away with the "Cape Town Express" and subsequently also in much better wind windows. The chasers around Boris Herrmann could do little about it.
At the end of November, Boris Herrmann was in 13th place as a South Atlantic doldrums prisoner. The boat was going round in circles and the skipper was struggling with the hard lot: "Sometimes I want to cry. Four years of preparation, a new boat and the dream of cutting through the waves at 20 knots... Now I'm sitting here in the doldrums. That makes me sad."
Boris Herrmann's initial 100 nautical mile gap has grown to more than 1000 nautical miles by the time he reaches the Cape of Good Hope. Yoann Richomme, leader of the fleet on 2 December, states shortly before Boris Herrmann's passage of the Cape of Good Hope: "The level is pretty similar to the previous races. We have Seb Simon, who has really improved recently - he is the big step forward. Other than that, it's the usual suspects. The level as I expected. The big one missing is Boris."
Within 17 nautical miles of fourth place
After a race to catch up, the second-fastest time from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Leeuwin and a strong intermediate sprint after the Cape Horn Passage, Herrmann came within 17 nautical miles of fourth place by 8 January. However, a series of black breaks and lightning caused him to fall back again in the final Atlantic sprint on course for the start and finish harbour of Les Sables-d'Olonne.
The 43-year-old ocean striker had to overcome his fear of heights twice, climbing up the 29 metre high mast twice for repairs. A nearby lightning strike on 8 January destroyed two thirds of the electronics on board and caused "Malizia - Seaexplorer" to lose power. Herrmann said with gallows humour: "Hopefully all the bad luck is now over for the rest of my Imoca sailing life."
The series of breakages reached its low point when "Malizia - Seaexplorer" collided with a so-called "Oani" (French abbreviation for an unidentified object or creature) on 16 January and the port foil broke. Boris Herrmann had to master the last 2800 nautical miles "wingless". He would have liked to have sawn off the foil directly to protect his boat from possible consequential damage. But it was hardly possible with the tools available, too risky.
"Malizia - Seaexplorer" takes the storm in its stride
At the end of the breathless race to catch up around the world, the beaten co-favourite still had to brave heavy storms. As if punished and whipped one last time, he headed for the finish line six and a half nautical miles off Les Sables-d'Olonne. Boris Herrmann managed this with his strong-wind rocket in sometimes gale-force winds and ten-metre waves, even though a last-minute mainsail tear briefly caused tension.
Boris Herrmann was unable to break into the phalanx of the French sailing elite this time after two second places in two major transats before the Vendée Globe. Winner Charlie Dalin secured the tenth French victory in the tenth Vendée Globe. "Meteorological splits have shredded the fleet, the big differences cannot be explained by the boat designs," said Boris Herrmann and others. Charlie Dalin also said that the large time differences do not reflect the level of the best in the Imoca class.
The "Malizia - Seaexplorer", built by Boris Herrmann for stormy southern sea conditions after his intensive experiences in his first Vendée Globe, was not able to score as well as hoped in this generally less windy regatta around the world. In the top twelve, Herrmann only achieved the eleventh best speed average. He completed his 29,201.11 nautical miles over ground at 15.13 knots.
Fast and efficient: Dominator Dalin
Charlie Dalin achieved an average of 17.9 knots in his 27,667.9 nautical miles over ground. The fastest average was Yoann Richomme with 17.9 knots. But Dalin was more efficient. His equal opponent Richomme put more than 650 nautical miles more into his stern water. This was mainly due to the fact that he, like the Vendée Globe bronze medallist Seb Simon, rode out a storm in the deep south of the Indian Ocean, which the closest pursuers dodged in sometimes huge northerly loops.
Boris Herrmann's second Vendée Globe proved to be one of his most difficult tests. However, it has not deterred the exceptional German sailor from his course: "The events of the last few months have not dampened my appetite for the Vendée Globe. I want to go further!" Herrmann has announced a third Vendée Globe participation in four years. The next big race for him starts with the Ocean Race Europe on 10 August off Kiel. "I'm really looking forward to the team challenge," said Herrmann after 80 days alone at sea.
We have organised almost everything up to 203o and will announce it gradually." Boris Herrmann
Team Malizia ready for new challenges
Boris Herrmann went into this anniversary edition of the Vendée Globe with a good feeling that the sailing campaign would continue to be strong. He said: "I started the Vendée Globe with the mental assurance that all possible projects for the future are already in place."
The starting signal for the Ocean Race Europe will be given in just over six months. The sister regatta to the Ocean Race team circumnavigation will take its participants through European waters from the starting signal on 10 August off Kiel. Boris Herrmann is enthusiastically looking forward to the start with his team, saying: "I'm looking forward to presenting our team for the European race soon. And to a great future with new projects in the coming years."
Boris Herrmann after crossing the finish line - the English version:
"So grey!" - The stormy last miles of the Bay of Biscay to the finish:
