"Aggressive" is not usually the adjective first used to describe Boris Herrmann's team Malizia in the Ocean Race. This Sunday was a different story in the harbour race made up from the previous day for the start of leg five. Off Newport, the sailing quartet on "Malizia - Seaexplorer" was extremely determined in the match race with the Americans. Crossing the start line as the third boat, Boris Herrmann, Will Harris, Rosie Kuiper and Yann Eliès soon fought their way into the lead - and never relinquished it.
11th Hour Racing wins the start, but Team Malizia wins the race
On this Ocean Race Sunday, the historic US sailing harbour of Newport initially provided the stage for the harbour race, which had been postponed to the start day due to gale force winds. The sun had returned with a light south-westerly wind. Spectators crowded both on land at Fort Adams State Park and at sea along the shores of the race course. Fans cheered along with the fleet before the teams headed for the open sea following the harbour race.
Skipper Charlie Enright gave the home crowd a reason to cheer at the start. His team 11th Hour Racing won the start of the preceding harbour race with a lead of around three boat lengths after almost perfect timing. The Americans led the fleet through the first gate to the delight of their supporters. But it didn't take long for Team Malizia to close the gap and overtake as the wind dropped.
Intensive efforts lead to victory
Francesca Clapcich, victorious with 11th Hour Racing on stage four and co-commentator on the Eurosport broadcast of the Ocean Race at the start of stage five, said: "We had Team Malizia close to us for 17 days on the last stage. Now it's starting again." In the match race between the two teams, you could see and hear how intensely Boris Herrmann and his team got down to business.
The Malizians' arms seemed to fly even faster than usual on the grinders. Rosie Kuiper cheered the team on loudly as they cranked: "Go, go, go, go, go!" Co-commentator Sam Davies was also impressed. "That was a pretty intense turnaround from Rosie," said the Brit with appreciation. The enthusiasm of Boris Herrmann's crew led to victory for Team Malizia in the harbour race. Although 11th Hour Racing continues to lead the interim standings of the so-called in-port races with 17 points ahead of Team Malizia (16 points) and "Holcim - PRB" (10 points), the Herrmann crew was able to reduce the gap to the Americans to just one point.
Across the Atlantic and through the North Sea and Kattegat to Aarhus
The race continued seamlessly after the harbour race with the double scored fifth leg. The 3,500 nautical mile section leads the field, which has shrunk to four boats following Guyot's provisional retirement, to the Danish sailing city of Aarhus. The overall leading team Holcim - PRB (19 points) and the teams 11th Hour Racing and Malizia (both 18 points), who are equal on points, are almost neck and neck for supremacy in the Ocean Race on this leg. The stage winner will receive a whopping ten points.
Boris Herrmann said before the start of the stage: "I'm going back to my home waters. I'm looking forward to the Baltic Sea, where I've already been on holiday with my family in Denmark. I know my way around there quite well." Malizia's team founder made no secret of the fact that he wants to win this stage with his team: "It has the statistically highest probability of wind and waves and suits us."
All the boats are making progress. The 11th Hour Racing Team has just reinstalled its pair of V2 foils and unpacked new sails. Team Malizia has improved in speed." (Kevin Escoffier)
Kevin Escoffier and his Swiss team Holcim - PRB have started the fifth leg with a new mast following their mast breakage on Ocean Race leg four. Although the team hardly had any time to test the new rig apart from a few hours on Saturday, Escoffier expressed his confidence: "Of course we have to regain confidence in our rig in the first few days, even though the work of the technical team was impressive."
The Frenchman continued: "In just a few days we have managed to get one boat back into impressive performance and racing condition, but all the boats are making progress. The 11th Hour Racing Team has just reinstalled its pair of V2 foils and unpacked new sails. Team Malizia has improved in speed. We have to call on one hundred per cent of our skills and one hundred per cent of the boat's ability if we want to win in Aarhus. That is quite normal. It's a race at a very high level and that's why we're here."
The last chance for Team Biotherm?
For Paul Meilhat's Team Biotherm, however, this leg with double points could be a last chance to get back into the fight for the podium places. With a five-point deficit to the top three, a win on this leg would be an important step towards turning the tide for the youngest boat in the fleet and his team.
"It's a bit difficult because we're just not quite up to scratch," said Meilhat at his Ocean Race premiere. "We're making progress, but so are our competitors. It's difficult because it feels like we're playing with different weapons than the others. We have to focus on our goals. To be here, to be part of this crazy adventure, is something special and we're doing really well. What's more, we're still alive, we're not far behind the others and there are still ten points up for grabs in this stage!"
The preview of the "make it or break it" stage! What's at stake in this leg from Newport to Aarhus and what the crews can expect:
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
