Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia continues to lead the Ocean Race fleet after four weeks at sea. The team on "Malizia - Seaexplorer" had built up a lead of around 40 nautical miles in the early afternoon of 26 March. The Biotherm and 11th Hour Racing teams followed 135 and almost 190 nautical miles behind the German leader. The depression that had kept the fleet on tenterhooks and tested them for days has now passed. The winds will continue to decrease over the last 380 nautical miles of the summit storm. This means that a strenuous Cape Horn passage is on the programme in a strong sea.
Will Harris: "We have to win every mile we can"
On board the "Malizia - Seaexplorer", Boris Herrmann, Will Harris, Rosalin Kuiper and navigator Nico Lunven are battling it out with Team Holcim in the top duel. PRB for every mile. They will need it in the final sprint along the South American east coast up to Itajaì, which is likely to be rather light.
"We have to make sure that we win every mile we can at the moment," said Team Malizia's co-skipper Will Harris on the morning of 26 March. It's not about pushing the boat to its limits. Harris explained: "We just have to work hard with the setup and the conditions we have at the moment. We are actively working with the autopilot and in trim. We have to be smart and have recently been able to get some miles back."
Rosie Kuiper: "This is Southern Ocean sailing. It's so cool!"
After 28 days at sea, the crews enjoyed better sailing conditions on Sunday than the recent harsh winds. Will Harris said: "It's nice and sunny today. The boat is in one piece and we are ahead. We also made our last gybe on course for Cape Horn. Or almost the last ..." Rosie Kuiper enthused about the beauty of sailing in the Southern Ocean: "You can see how big the waves are. You can see how blue the water is. That's Southern Ocean sailing. It's so cool!"
In my next life, I want to be an albatross." (Antoine Auriol)
Accompanied by an albatross, Team Malizia's final 24 hours on course for Cape Horn have long since begun. On-board reporter Antoine Auriol watched the regal seabirds with enthusiasm and said: "In my next life, I want to be an albatross." While the crews struggled to complete the Cape Horn passage as quickly as possible, John Fisher was remembered by the Ocean Race family on 26 March.
Five years ago, the Ocean Race family lost John Fisher
Five years ago, the Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag team in the 2017/2018 Volvo Ocean Race reported that John Fisher had gone overboard in stormy conditions around 1,400 nautical miles west of Cape Horn. Despite several hours of searching in horrendous conditions, the crew was unable to find and rescue their British team-mate, who lives in Australia.
The Ocean Race team is remembering the esteemed sailor this Sunday. A statement reads: "John, known as 'Fish' to many of his fellow sailors, was a universally loved and respected, generous team mate. He enjoyed his time racing and was happy to pass on his experience to the younger team members. All of us in the Ocean Race family and the whole sailing community come together on this day to pay our last respects to 'Fish' and send our condolences and deepest thoughts to John's family, his many friends and his crewmates."
It's one of those things you always dream about. If you're lucky enough to get the chance to take part in this race, everyone should take it." (John Fisher)
