First time solo since the Vendée Globe: Boris Herrmann to cross the Atlantic in the Route du Rhum
by Team Malizia 2 Nov 2022 00:35 AEDT
6 November 2022
Malizia - Seaexplorer © Pierre Bouras - Team Malizia
Ready to go: Team Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann will be at the start line of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe race on 6 November 2022. At 13:02 precisely, the German sailor will set sail to cross the Atlantic Ocean single-handed aboard his newly built Malizia - Seaexplorer.
The race will be a test for both skipper and boat, as this will be Boris Herrmann's first solo race since his Vendée Globe debut in 2020 and the first real test for his new race yacht. By crossing the start line he will also be one step closer to the Vendée Globe 2024 selection.
The Route du Rhum, considered legendary in France, is held every four years. The route is 6560 kilometres long and runs from Saint-Malo in the North of France to Pointe-à-Pitre in the French overseas island of Guadeloupe. A total of 138 sailors, both professionals and amateurs, are competing in six classes - including IMOCA, which will see 37 sailors cross the Atlantic solo. The race village in Saint-Malo attracts several hundred thousand visitors over the course of two weeks, and over 2 million spectators watch the live start of the race on French television, making it one of the biggest sports events in France and abroad.
Malizia - Seaexplorer arrived almost a week ago in Saint-Malo for the opening of the race village and the IMOCA parade. After final preparations, a successful safety check and various skipper briefings, the second week of the race village will be packed with partner activations, media appointments and numerous fan interactions to keep both skipper and team motivated and busy.
Boris Herrmann, who is leading the "A Race We Must Win" campaign with his Team Malizia, will continue to collect valuable CO2 ocean data with his mini-laboratory on board his IMOCA and will transmit it to marine researchers on land.
Expected to arrive in Pointe-à-Pitre less than two weeks after the start, to be greeted by the Guadeloupe Race Village. The boat will then be sailed in Ocean Race crewed format straight to Alicante, Spain, where Team Malizia will be based until the start of the toughest team challenge on 15 January 2023. This will see a crew of four sailors and an onboard reporter sail around the world over the following months.
Team Malizia is accompanied by its seven main partners Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International and Zurich Group Germany who all support the team's "A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now mission!".