Regatta: Vendée Globe: Boris Herrmann as if unleashed - what else is possible?

When Boris Herrmann's team weather expert Will Harris said a few days ago that Boris Herrmann could still finish on the podium, it sounded almost like a fairytale to his fans. Now such a reality is within reach. From around 350 nautical miles behind in the early hours of Monday morning, Herrmann has closed the gap to the new leader Charlie Dalin to 109 nautical miles within 24 hours. Roughly across from Rio de Janeiro, the long Atlantic Vendée Globe final at the 22nd parallel south is turning into a sailing thriller.

What had already become apparent on Monday continued overnight. Towards the end of the 65th day at sea, the first six boats were only just over 100 nautical miles apart. And Boris Herrmann is among them. Over the past 24 hours in the best wind conditions, he has caught up as if unleashed and moved up to sixth place. He achieved this with top speeds of just over 30 knots and the highest average values in the leading group. The 39-year-old had already explained this on Monday evening: "Sailing at such speeds is of course not easy. The price is tense nerves and almost no sleep in 24 hours. The conditions are good, but... The wind goes up and down and demands almost constant attention. We reached 30 knots for a second. I've changed sails several times, but I'm not complaining. I'll take every nautical mile as long as it's free. Tomorrow we'll run out of petrol."

With the last sentence, Herrmann alluded to the less windy scenario developing today during the course of 12 January, because for the time being, the "frenzy" is over. The first six skippers are travelling at nine to 14 knots boat speed in decreasing winds. The slowest skipper initially remained the dethroned leader Yannick Bestaven ("Maître Coq IV"), who was caught not only by Charlie Dalin but also by Thomas Ruyant ("LinkedOut") on Tuesday morning after a 17-day chase. Dalin's "Apivia" in the lead and Damien Seguin's "Groupe Apicil" in fourth place were separated by just 40 nautical miles. If that's not a promise of a thrilling sailing thriller in the coming days ...

Boris Herrmann had already said on French television the evening before: "It's fantastic for the race that it's so close on the climb in the Atlantic. Everything is still possible. For all of us. Even for Yannick, who is not that far ahead. I can see him on my screen. The regatta is still alive! And everyone is on their own in their match. In the past, we've seen less exciting Atlantic ascents - maybe one or two boats were clearly ahead. But here we now have a real stage for different boats that can still sail to the podium. Four, five or six boats. And there will undoubtedly be other surprises."

In the NDR interview, Boris Herrmann explains how the current elation of the successful race to catch up feels after the setbacks off Cape Horn

The scenario favours a further advance by Boris Herrmann over the remaining 4700 nautical miles: Charlie Dalin and Thomas Ruyant are on top foils, but neither can use their port foils after breaking. Yannick Bestaven and Louis Burton are using second-generation foils. And the Paralympics winner Damien Seguin, who continues to sail impressively, has no foils at all. On paper, the first German Vendée Globe starter has the best boat in the battle for the top places.