Cape Horn: Vote Boris Herrmann into the Hall of Fame!

Lars Bolle

, Tatjana Pokorny

· 07.04.2025

Boris rounding the Cape in the Ocean Race.

Sheer horror at the other end of the world: the stormy voyage of the "Susanna".

27 March 2023: Boris rounds Cape Horn with his Malizia crew, including the injured Rosalin Kuiper.

3 Images

Photo: Antoine Auriol/Team Malizia

Now is the chance to elect Boris Herrmann to the Cape Horn Sailing Legends Hall of Fame. The International Association of Cape Horners has called for nominations for six new candidates. Nominations for sailors can be submitted until 30 April 2025. Take part!

Topics in this article

How to join in
Renowned selection committee
Ceremony in Les Sables d'Olonne
Inspiration for future generations
Previous sailors in the hall of fame

The International Association of Cape Horners (IACH), the association of Cape Horn circumnavigators, has announced the public nominations for the Cape Horn Hall of Fame 2025 opened. Nominations for sailors who have circumnavigated the infamous Cape Horn and made a significant contribution to the sport of sailing can be submitted until 30 April.

Boris Herrmann could be one of these new members of the elite hall of fame. He has sailed around the world six times and circumnavigated Cape Horn seven times. Hardly any other sailor can currently prove this. His contribution not only to German sailing but also internationally and his commitment to climate and environmental protection are also outstanding. However, for him to have a chance, he first has to be nominated.

The nominations are reviewed by a selection committee chaired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and the final selection of the six new members is made by a vote among IACH members. The frequency of a nomination is therefore not a fixed criterion, but it could help.

How to join in

Under this link there is a form to nominate your candidate. However, it asks for a lot of data. For all those who would like to nominate Boris Herrmann but have little time to fill in a nomination form, here is some guidance. Those in a hurry can copy out the information and fill in the online form at full speed.

Achievements and accomplishments

The candidate Boris Herrmann was born on 28 May 1981 in Oldenburg. The regattas and teams in and with which Boris Herrmann passed Cape Horn are listed here at a glance for quicker entry:

Round the World Race & Cap Horn Passage: Portimāo Global Ocean Race (2008/2009), "Beluga Racer", Double-handed Open 40, Boris Herrmann & Felix Oehme
Round the World Race & Cape Horn Passage: Barcelona World Race (2010-2011), "Neutrogena", Double-handed Open 60, Co-Skipper: Boris Herrmann & Ryan Breymaier
Record Attempt & Cape Horn Passage: New York - San Francisco (2014), "Maserati", Crew with Skipper Giovanni Soldini including Boris Herrmann as crew
Round the World Race & Cape Horn Passage: Jules Verne Attempt (2015), "Idec Sport", Crew with Skipper Francis Joyon and crew including Boris Herrmann
Vendée Globe (2020-2021), "Seaexplorer", Imoca, Solo, Skipper Boris Herrmann
The Ocean Race (2022-2023), "Malizia - Seaexplorer", Imoca, Skipper Boris Herrmann and crew
Vendée Globe (2024-2025), "Malizia - Seaexplorer", Imoca, Solo, Skipper Boris Herrmann

When asked for a short biography, the answer could be: "Boris Herrmann was born in Oldenburg in 1981 and was taken on his parents' boat as a baby. He spent much of his childhood and youth on his parents' boat in the nearby Wadden Sea and later on the Baltic and North Sea. From the Optimist to the 420 and 470, he and his sailing friend Julien Kleiner moved up to the challenging 505 dinghy. In 2007, they won the German Championship.

In 2001, Boris Herrmann was the youngest participant in the Mini-Transat and came in eleventh. After that, he travelled around the world on various seagoing yachts. In 2008/2009, he sailed around the world for the first time in the Portimao Global Ocean Race. Five more circumnavigations, including two Vendée Globes (2020/2021, 2024, 2025) and The Ocean Race (2022/2023) followed. By the beginning of 2025, Boris Herrmann had rounded Cape Horn seven times."

The candidate statement

Boris Herrmann has been sailing since he was a child. When asked about the number of years he has been sailing, you can put "40 years" in his name. Why is he a suitable candidate? Here is one possible answer, which may vary depending on your own judgement:

"Boris Herrmann has circumnavigated the globe six times and passed Cape Horn seven times in almost two decades. He has done this in different boats and - as skipper and as crew - in different roles in very different races, demonstrating skill, versatility and persistence. For a long time, Boris Herrmann has combined his sailing challenges with his and Team Malizia's commitment to the oceans. Team Malizia's slogan 'A Race we must win' is internationally known. Boris Herrmann already has his sights set on further round-the-world sailings and Cape Horn passages, including the Vendée Globe 2028."

Other services

Under "Other Significant Achievements", an answer could be found on this basis: "Team Malizia is known for its commitment to the world's oceans as part of its sailing campaigns. This happens in a variety of ways: with the collection of valuable scientific data for science, with the Malizia Mangrove Park (Philippines), with individual actions in collaboration with other national and international climate protection protagonists, but also with the children's and youth education campaign 'My Ocean Challenge' which is available in more than twelve languages.

Not to forget: Boris Herrmann was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit excellent.

Renowned selection committee

The selection committee is made up of experienced sailors. In addition to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the committee includes French veteran Jean-Luc van den Heede as Vice Chairman, American navigator Stan Honey and round the world sailors Dee Caffari (UK), Dilip Donde (India) and Archie Fairley (UK). Sir Robin Knox-Johnston emphasises: "We are looking for Cape Horn circumnavigators past and present who have made a significant contribution to the sport of sailing, whether as individual sailors or as leaders of a crew circumnavigating the world's most notorious cape." Why Cape Horn is so notorious, read in this article.

Ceremony in Les Sables d'Olonne

The ceremonial induction of the new members into the Cape Horn Hall of Fame 2025 is scheduled to take place in Les Sables d'Olonne at the beginning of September. The exact date is yet to be announced. The ceremony is deliberately planned before the start of the Mini Transat Regatta. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston explains the significance of this timing: "The timing is very appropriate as the Mini Transat class has long been a breeding ground for ocean sailors, including Jean-Luc van den Heede, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Loic and Bruno Peyron and Whitbread winner Lionel Péan."

Inspiration for future generations

Archie Fairley, Chairman of the IACH, emphasises the importance of the Hall of Fame to the sport of sailing: "This has become an important date in the sailing calendar, encouraging future generations to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors - be it cruising or participating in a growing number of events around Cape Horn, which now include the Golden Globe, Jules Verne Challenge, Ocean Globe, Solo Global Challenge and Vendée Globe."

RATING_THUMBS_HEADLINE

The public nominations and the ceremony in Les Sables d'Olonne will keep the tradition of ocean sailing alive and pass it on to future generations. Inclusion in this exclusive community is one of the highest honours that can be bestowed on a sailor.