Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia is back in the thick of the fight for a podium place on the queen's stage of the Ocean Race. Less than a week after the dramatic mast repair, the crew around the Hamburg skipper is fighting for second place with the French team Biotherm and the US team 11th Hour Racing. The field is still led by the Swiss "Holcim - PRB", but its lead over "Biotherm" has shrunk from around 600 nautical miles on 3 March to just 165 nautical miles on 9 March.
Boris Herrmann: "We now have the feeling that we are up to all challenges"
Team Biotherm, Team Malizia and 11th Hour Racing were only separated by around 30 nautical miles during their race to catch up in the Southern Ocean at the start of day twelve at sea. At a press conference, Boris Herrmann and his team could see and hear the good "we're back in the race" feeling. During his fifth circumnavigation of the world, the 41-year-old Hamburg skipper reviewed the tough days.
Boris said: "The crack in the mast was a huge shock. It wasn't clear whether we would be able to finish the race. But we overcame the huge challenge of repairing the mast. It demanded everything from our team, but also gave us a feeling of strength. We now have the feeling that we are up to any challenge, come what may." Herrmann described the three-way battle with Team Biotherm and 11th Hour Racing as "super exciting" and the successful comeback as "very motivating".
"We can go full throttle again"
Boris Herrmann describes his boat as optimally restored. He assumes that his team will be able to finish the race with this mast. Even if it still needs to be thoroughly examined in the Brazilian harbour. He said: "We can sail the boat at 100 per cent. We can go full throttle again."
Prior to this, Rosalin Kuiper had again gone into the mast during a brief period of light winds, inspected the repaired area, checked it by tapping and certified that the repair was of good quality. The daring Dutchwoman also gave an insight into her personal feelings when she talked about the repair job last weekend.
Rosalin Kuiper: "Up there, it's like you have human superpowers"
The 26-year-old worked for two and a half hours on her first ocean race at a height of around 28 metres on the rig of the "Malizia - Seaexplorer". What for most people is more like a horror show, she enjoyed in her own way - despite bruises and a sore body the following day. Rosie almost gushed and said: "For me, it's one of my favourite places to work up there. It's very intense. When you're up there, it can be dangerous. You have to be very careful. All your senses are wide awake."
The sports psychologist continued: "Up there, it's as if you have human superpowers. You feel the adrenaline. It's scary for some people. But I like the feeling, that helicopter view. When you look around 360 degrees, all you see is the sea around you. You realise that you're in no man's land. You feel very alive. It takes a lot of effort, but when you're up there, it's one of the best experiences you can have."
"We hope to overtake Team Biotherm"
Her skipper Boris Herrmann was visibly relieved that he was able to master the repair marathon with such an enthusiastic team: "I have no idea how I would have managed it on my own. Even with a team, it's incredibly difficult to deal with all these technical problems because they put a lot of doubt in your head as to whether you'll make it to the finish line. Then there was the uncertainty with our alternator. Will and I each spent 20 hours tinkering with it with only short breaks so that we could charge the batteries at all. I'm extremely happy not to be on the boat alone, but with this great team."
Looking at his team's current position and the race to the first scoring gate, Boris Herrmann said during his interim assessment on day twelve of the "monster leg" of the 14th The Ocean Race: "We hope to overtake Team Biotherm and catch up by four points. But of course 11th Hour Racing can still catch up with us. We'll fight as hard as we can to get the best out of it."
Kevin Escoffier: "I am delighted that Boris and his team have managed to stay in the race"
On the evening of 9 March, the front runners from Team Holcim still had around 1,700 nautical miles to go. PRB to the "scoring gate". The imaginary halfway line of the "monster stage" lies at longitude 143 degrees east off Tasmania. There, the first points will be awarded to the same value of one of the first two legs. The same number of points will be awarded again in the Brazilian finish harbour of Itajaí.
For frontrunner Kevin Escoffier, it is no surprise that Team Malizia has now come so close to his team again. "We know that 'Malizia - Seaexplorer' is a good boat for heavy seas. She's like a four-wheel drive vehicle. I am definitely not surprised that they are back in the race. They have repaired without losing much to the competition." Escoffier also reported on the camaraderie in the Ocean Race. "I spoke to Boris about the repairs and I'm very pleased that he and his crew have managed to stay in the race."
"Everyone needs help at some point"
At the same time, Team Holcim - PRB supported Guyot Environnement - Team Europe with materials for their repairs in Cape Town. "We want them to be able to repair as quickly as possible," said Escoffier. Support for the competition is a matter of course for his team and the others in the Ocean Race. Escoffier said: "Two years ago, it was Jean Le Cam who (Editorial team: after the Vendée Globe accident) from my lifeboat. Everyone needs help at some point. I have friends in all the teams in this Ocean Race and I know Boris well. Of course, this is a race, but if someone has a problem, there's no one who won't help."
The fact that "Holcim - Escoffier was not worried by the fact that the "PRB" had lost so many miles in the past few days: "This light wind passage was perfect for us to check the boat and get a good night's sleep. So that wasn't bad. We are used to sailing in contact with the other boats from legs one and two. And we were able to stay in front. I hope we can do the same now." Team Holcim - PRB won the first two legs of the 14th Ocean Race and is currently continuing its successful course. The coming weeks will have to show whether the chasing pack can shake the throne of the Swiss team with the French skipper.
