The race is on: Boris Herrmann is heading towards Guadeloupe in the Route du Rhum 2022 race
by Team Malizia 10 Nov 2022 18:47 AEDT
9 November 2022
Malizia - Seaexplorer on her way to cross the Atlantic during the Route du Rhum 2022 © Pierre Bouras
German sailor Boris Herrmann has crossed the start line of the legendary Route du Rhum race aboard his new IMOCA race yacht Malizia - Seaexplorer. Off to a good start, the skipper is now on looking forward to his first night in the transatlantic single-handed race.
Boris Herrmann is racing and off to a good start in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe race. This Wednesday at 02:15 pm, the German skipper and 137 other sailors set sail from Saint-Malo in northern France towards Guadeloupe. The race will be a test for both Boris Herrmann and his newly built Malizia - Seaexplorer, as this is his first solo race since his Vendée Globe debut in 2020 and the first real test for the new race yacht. By having crossed the start line, the skipper made it one step closer to the Vendée Globe 2024-2, by being selected.
In the last hours before the start, Boris Herrmann and Team Malizia co-skipper Will Harris took the time to download and consult the latest weather files in order to fine-tune his route for the upcoming days. The shore crew made final checks of the onboard systems and accompanied the Malizia - Seaexplorer skipper to the start area before jumping off the boat.
Boris Herrmann then took the start at 02:15 pm local time in a westerly breeze of 15 to 18 knots. Confused seas due to wind against tide and high coefficients made starting conditions and manoeuvring tricky but the German sailor managed a good, clean start aboard his Malizia - Seaexplorer race yacht. Boris Herrmann was amongst the front row of the 37 competing IMOCAs to cross the start line. Upwind on port tack, he headed towards the English coast before tacking back south to make it through the mandatory gate at Cap Fréhel.
Boris Herrmann passed through the gate at about 5:00 pm CET, less than 3 hours after the start of the race. On land up on Cap Fréhel's hill, the crowd gathered to watch the fleet pass close to the land, marking the last stage before the skippers are free to choose their own route to Guadeloupe.
Everything is going well on board, Boris Herrmann and his Team Malizia are happy with his start and the solo sailor is looking forward to his first night at sea sailing along the north coast of Brittany.
He will send daily photos and videos which will be shared on his and the team's social media channels and website.
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.