Vendée Globe: Boris Herrmann's interim results on the first barefoot day

At the end of the fourth day of racing at the 10th Vendée Globe, Boris Herrmann had an interesting conversation with Vendée Globe observer and TV presenter Andi Robertson. The 43-year-old "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper gave an initial assessment, but also struck many nuances. On the very first night, he asked himself: "Why am I in 40th place on the first evening? What's going on?" He was a bit shocked.

In search of the Vendée Globe rhythm

However, when he made his comeback in the top ten on the second day, the question marks in Boris Herrmann's head quickly disappeared again. His recollection of this first phase of the race: "It was intense and tough at the beginning. I struggled to find the right rhythm with all the wind shifts. I often had to jibe and then the wind shifted in the wrong direction."

By Thursday morning, the tide had turned, as Boris Herrmann noted during his second solo around the world after four nights at sea: "Today I'm alongside Justine, who is upwind. It's the first morning that I'm travelling barefoot and I'm doing eleven, twelve, sometimes fourteen knots in around ten knots of wind. So it's a pleasant moment and I'm going to enjoy a calm day today."

Boris Herrmann, who started the fifth night in ninth place, is not the only one who believes that it could possibly stay like this for a few days: "I think the next few days will actually be quiet. And yes, we're gradually finding our rhythm. I haven't slept much and after this phone call I'll try to get a bit more sleep."

Rendez-vous at sea and losses

He found it difficult to sleep during those first few days. Boris Herrmann said: "It's not always easy to sleep during the day. Sometimes I find it a bit difficult, but we had to leave Madeira on the port side because of the wind. I then jibed behind Madeira to take advantage of a slight wind shift. That worked well for me."

Boris Herrmann mused: "I could have got a bit further back, but I had to be careful with the wind. And at that moment, Seb Simon's course crossed mine. Earlier in the evening I had overtaken Yannick Bestaven. We chatted a bit and exchanged some news. Later that night, I changed my headsail. I had to do that." Team Malizia's founder believes he lost around ten nautical miles here: "Maybe I dropped from eighth to tenth on the tracker, I think."

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This scenario is also long behind him. The first barefoot day as he sailed into the fifth night on the evening of 14 November. Boris Herrmann said: "We will be travelling barefoot, in swim shorts and swimming costumes, all the way to the equator. We have seven days in which it will remain calm, with the code zero or the big gennaker, perhaps with a sail change every two days."

Sleep is the greatest happiness at sea

Boris Herrmann is looking forward to a quiet racing phase with his competitors. For others, it brings opportunities for necessary repairs. For Boris Herrmann, it is a "good time to really get used to the race". On the other hand, it is clear "that it won't be very fast". According to the experienced five-time circumnavigator, the suggested routes all point to a very westerly course. However, he himself does not believe in this, saying: "We will sail a little to the south-west, like the whole fleet, but it's not quite clear yet."

Boris Herrmann has also already memorised some great moments. For example, near the Spanish coast, when he laboriously switched from the large gennaker to the small one. "In the end, there were beautiful lights and dolphins that greeted me." He also made no secret of what his greatest happiness is at the moment: "To be honest, what gives me the most pleasure is when I manage to sleep."

When asked whether he was also enjoying the race, Boris Herrmann said: "Yes, I'm enjoying it. I'm careful to watch my mood so I don't get too stressed or get into weird emotions, because you can't do that on the boat. You can't just put on your running shoes and go for a run or meet some nice people to change your mood."

Is Boris Herrmann talking to himself?

His remedy for emotional fluctuations: "I'm very careful and take care of myself. I've found my rhythm well and I'm happy with my position in the race. I hope we can get a little closer to the front, but we'll see."

Boris Herrmann's answer to Andi Robertson's question as to whether he talks to himself on board was cheerful: "I get asked that a lot, and I don't. But I wanted to try it out because a lot of people have told me that it can be quite nice. I think if you do it, it shows that you're relaxed. And I never do that. I'm probably always a bit too serious, the German type."

When asked whether he, like everyone else, was impressed by the new 24-hour solo record set by his former Ocean Race navigator Nico Lunven, Boris Herrmann said: "Yes! And also by his navigational skills in taking a different route. I'm not sure whether he did that because of his repair or because he thought the weather was better there. But in any case, he is very independent."

Recognition for Vendée Globe rookie Nico Lunven

Having sailed together in the Ocean Race, Boris Herrmann knows Nico "The Brain" Lunven very well and said: "He can really find ways off the beaten track. And I reckon he had a bit less swell. And that looked like a clean route out there. And, nice that he made the record."

In a major YACHT interview before the start of the Vendée Globe, Boris Herrmann had already declared Nico Lunven to be one of the favourites and said: "I have a really good feeling about Nico. He brings so much to the table. He has a good team and already knows the boat very well. I would definitely put him on the list. Even if he starts with a little less self-confidence or security because he hasn't yet sailed the boat alone in the Southern Ocean."

In his own messages from See, Boris Herrmann also reminded us of his other Malizia missions in this first week of the race: "We have our ocean laboratory with us again, which measures the CO2 concentration very, very precisely. We have now compiled one of the largest collections of data that is freely accessible. This is very, very important data, especially from the Southern Oceans. We are almost the only, or really the only, ships that get there. We are now doing this again and want to consistently continue the work we have started."

The unifying power of the Vendée Globe

In a turbulent world situation, Boris Herrmann did not miss the opportunity to highlight the positive power of sport: "I also asked myself whether I wanted to close myself off a little from the news of the world, which is sometimes very mixed up. But I think what really strikes you at the moment is the beautiful power of sport to evoke positive emotions. To remind us again and again, to evoke them: To connect peoples, people across national borders, across borders of views and religions."

Looking at the start and hundreds of thousands of fans, Boris Herrmann said: "To see such a large crowd here and also so many people internationally who are following the race and simply this great adventure, I see the value of the race, especially in these times, which - politically speaking - are so mixed up."

Boris Herrmann and the other Vendée Globe challengers have been racing for the fifth day since 13:02 on the evening of 14 November. Here, the Hamburg native gave a cheerful insight into his life at sea in the morning: