Boris Herrmann is Hamburg's Sportsman of the Year for his performance in Vendée Globe 2020-21 race
by Team Malizia 26 Apr 2022 00:30 PDT
25 April 2022
Boris Herrmann is Hamburg's Sportsman of the Year © Witters
Boris Herrmann was named Sportsman of the Year at this year's Hamburg Sports Gala on Monday evening at the Chamber of Commerce. The Senate of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, the Hamburg Sports Association and the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper awarded prizes for outstanding achievements in a total of five categories.
Boris Herrmann received the Sportsman of the Year award for his performance in the Vendée Globe 2020, the toughest regatta across the world's oceans. As the first German ever to take part in the race, he came 5th after racing for 80 days and 24,000 nautical miles. His sporting success is accompanied by his commitment to climate protection, as he also sailed in the service of science.
The German skipper is leading the "A Race We Must Win" campaign with his Team Malizia. With his new racing yacht and during upcoming regattas, such as The Ocean Race 2023 and the Vendée Globe 2024, he will continue to collect valuable CO2 ocean data with his mini-laboratory on board his boat and will transmit it to marine researchers on land.
Prof. Dr. Mojib Latif, President of the Academy of Science in Hamburg, gave the laudation at the Hamburg Sports Gala. Boris Herrmann, who is currently in France for the construction of his new IMOCA racing yacht, joined through a live video call from Brittany. Team Malizia co-founder Pierre Casiraghi sent a video message to congratulate his friend and Team Malizia Director Holly Cova accepted the award at the Chamber of Commerce.
Four further awards were presented at the 16th Hamburg Sports Gala: Sportswoman of the Year went to Edina Müller, the sailing duo Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel were named Team of the Year, the Active City Award was presented to the Evangelische Stiftung Alsterdorf with the project "Sportlotse - gemeinsam mehr bewegen" ("Sports guide - moving more together") and the Hamburg Sports Gala's Honourary Award for his exemplary commitment to voluntary work in sport was presented to Alexander Otto. In addition, more than 100 Hamburg athletes were honoured for German championships and international successes in 2020 and 2021.
Team Malizia is accompanied by its partners The Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Llyod and Schütz.