Boris Herrmann: This time we are not in it to win it
by Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 3 Nov 2022 23:03 PDT
6 November 2022
Boris Herrmann - Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe © Pierre Bouras
For Boris Herrmann, the popular 41 year old German solo ocean racer who took fifth on the last Vendée Globe, managing the expectations of the hundreds of thousands of fans he has at home now, and a big media following, is all part and parcel of this, his second Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe.
Herrmann left at the start of his Vendée Globe with a hard core following but very quickly his storytelling and his performance became national news. Towards the end if his race he was on all the major news and sports channels and was greeted as a hero on his return. His book telling the story of his race was at the top if bestseller lists for weeks.
Now with a brand new VPLP designed Malizia-Seaexplorer just launched mid -July there could easily be a belief shared among the legions of new found ocean racing fans at home that the new latest generation boat should be the perfect passport to a podium finish first time out.
"In my progression curve four years ago here I had already done two years racing with the boat, two Transatlantics, then I was at 90 per cent. Now I am at 40 per cent. So, people ask me what my expectations are and I explain that 'yes I am in a race, yes I want to compete as best as possible but I am not going to be competitive, I don't know the boat well enough, I am not really in race mode." Cautions Herrmann. "But that is great. It comes down to the beauty of this sport. This is a true adventure, I go out there and have no idea about my boat. I mean... 'what the hell!' what are we all doing? None of us have really have sailed our new boats in 40kts. We don't know what will happen, what will break, who will do what."
Read more at www.routedurhum.com/en/actualite/244
And Francois Gabart this morning: www.routedurhum.com/en/actualite/245
Tough opening days for Route du Rhum racers on a classic, open course.
The Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe only comes around every four years and has long since become a classic challenge for solo racers of all levels, from the big stars of French ocean racing on their Ultims 32/23s to committed hobby sailors living out their dreams.
The course across the Atlantic is between Saint-Malo and Guadeloupe, a distance of 3542 miles on the Great Circle Route. They usually leave in the autumn storms which pepper the Bay of Biscay but the reward comes with the warmth of the tropics and, usually, a long spell of trade winds sailing. The classic course has just three marks - the CIC buoy off Cape Fréhel, the Tête-à-l'anglais (a small island north of Guadeloupe), and the Basse-Terre buoy at the entrance to the Saintes Channel. Otherwise the solo skippers are completely free to determine their route across the Atlantic.
"This is a legendary course, but it is also highly technical and can be very complicated. Firstly, you have to get out of the English Channel. At this time of year, low-pressure systems move in regularly, as is the case at the moment. We have to find a balance between taking risks depending on the wind and sea state to head south with as little damage as possible," explains Italian solo IMOCA racer Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group).
Stormy weather on the cards
The most recent weather models are fairly clear about the start of the race. It's going to be tough and sometimes very hard. With a low-pressure system out in the Atlantic, a series of fronts will be moving in. This means upwind sailing in strong winds from the outset and the Bay of Biscay looks like living up to its reputation with the situation likely to worsen on Monday with the deep low generating an active cold front. There is the threat of "50 to 55 knots of wind to the north of the system with 18-21 foot high waves out at sea on Monday," explained Cyrille Duschene from Meteo Consult in today's forecast. "This is set to be tough for the sailors," added the forecaster.
"Once they get to Ushant and even before, the sea state and winds will be typical for November. The Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe is used to these sorts of conditions," says Race Director Francis Le Goff.
"From the first night, we'll be facing stormy conditions. I'm ready for that and looking forward to seeing what options we will have to avoid damage to the boat." explained Ocean Fifty skipper Éric Peron (Komilfo), who added that his Ocean50 boat was one of the best in this sort of situation. "She's a 4x4 with a large volume to her hulls. In heavy seas that is a clear advantage."
'I'm scared, but I'll be at 200% on Sunday to get off to a good start. There will be all the sailors I love around me. I'm here for that," declared Arthur Le Vaillant (Mieux), taking the plunge for the first time aboard his Ultim 32/23
They said
Francis Joyon (Idec Sport, Ultim 32/23): "The standard of the competition is high with a few boats that were there ifour years ago and have been updated and the new ones, which learnt a lot from the older ones. As for the conditions, I feel curious rather apprehensive. Is it going to be stronger that what I have already sailed upwind? You can suffer damage because the boat is new and hasn't been tried and tested, as is the case for some of my rivals, or suffer damage because the boat is too old with its original gear like mine, so it remains open...
Roland Jourdain (We Explore, Outremer 50 / Rhum Multi): "Conditions look like being lively for the start, but not dramatic. The first afternoon should go well. The questions we have are more about passing the tip of Brittany. For the moment, we don't know whether it will be manageable or as not, as the wind is set to strengthen. There's likely to be a six-metre high swell with some strong tidal currents. In general, the sailors will be able to turn left to avoid the heavier seas by going into the Bay of Biscay."
"We Explore hasn't yet been through this type of condition, but I'd be wondering about the same matter, whatever boat I was in in the Rhum category. I feel slightly apprehensive, but I think I have a boat that should get through more easily than some. I'll be listening to what the elements tell me and see if there is any agreement among the racers in this category. We'll see how things develop between now and Sunday."
Manuel Cousin (Groupe Sétin / IMOCA): "The weather is going to be tough in at least the first 48 hours. The Route du Rhum has always been a bit complicated at the start. The North Atlantic in November. You can't expect much else It's down to us to deal with this. Our boats are made for this, but we have to avoid do anything stupid, as it can be very hard dealing with the slightest technical problem."