Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia wins the Newport In-Port Race and heads towards Aarhus, Denmark

by Team Malizia 21 May 2023 17:38 PDT 21 May 2023

Team Malizia, winner of the Newport In-Port Race © Ricardo Pinto / Team Malizia

Team Malizia did it again! The international team led by German skipper Boris Herrmann have won an In-Port Race for the second time this Sunday in Newport, Rhode Island, USA, and are off to a great start in Leg 5 of The Ocean Race.

Initially scheduled for Saturday, the In-Port Race was postponed due to deteriorating weather conditions and was incorporated into Sunday's inshore course at the start of Leg 5. Boris Herrmann's Malizia - Seaexplorer crewed by Yann Eliès, Will Harris, Rosalin Kuiper, and onboard reporter Antoine Auriol passed through the leaving gate in first position, therefore grabbing the maximum 5 points of the In-Port Race and leading the fleet towards the open sea. The IMOCA race yachts have now set sail for a 3,500 nautical mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean towards Aarhus, Denmark, in a leg expected to last between 10 to 12 days.

Boris Herrmann is back as skipper of Malizia - Seaexplorer in Leg 5 of The Ocean Race - photo © Ricardo Pinto / Team Malizia

This Sunday, the crowd had gathered at Fort Adams State Park on a sunny afternoon and saw Team Malizia cross the start line of Leg 5 of The Ocean Race at 14:15 local time (18:15 UTC, 20:15 CEST) in second position, behind locals 11th Hour Racing Team. Out on the water, the winds were very light but it didn't stop Boris Herrmann's team from sailing a clean race and rounding mark 2 in second place. With Yann Eliès helming the boat, the crew managed to find some wind, build up speed, and finally overtake the hometown favourite to windward as they passed mark 2. Further behind, Team Holcim-PRB overtook Biotherm.

Malizia - Seaexplorer, winning boat of the Newport In-Port Race with Biother in the background - photo © Ricardo Pinto / Team Malizia

Racing neck and neck, Team Malizia held onto the lead, with 11th Hour Racing Team overtaking them for only a short moment. A real treat for the many spectator boats, the public got to enjoy the beautiful scenery of two IMOCA yachts sailing next to each other under the Newport Bridge. Team Malizia reached mark 3 first, and extended their lead as they headed back towards the open sea.

Co-skipper Rosalin Kuiper during the Leg 5 Start in Newport - photo © Ricardo Pinto / Team Malizia

Finally, Malizia - Seaexplorer was the first boat to pass through the leaving gate at Castle Hill, making Team Malizia the winners of the Newport In-Port Race. As the order of boats passing the leaving gate determined the scoring for the In-Port Race, it was the 11th Hour Racing Team that finished in second place, ahead of Team Holcim-PRB and with Biotherm in fourth place. Still second in the In-Port Series scoreboard, Team Malizia managed to reduce the gap to the leader to only one point. Even though these points do not count in the overall scoreboard, they are still important, especially with such tight results in the legs, as they work as a tie-breaker mechanism at the end of The Ocean Race.

"It was a spectacle to see the number of boats that came out to watch the inshore race with hundreds of boats filling the edges of the channel," commented Boris Herrmann. "The energy and enthusiasm of the Newport people about the race is palpable."

"What an amazing start in Newport", said Rosalin Kuiper shortly after heading out to the open Atlantic. "We had to stay focused and we managed very well. It was exciting to race so closely with the hometown team and I'm super happy we made it to the finish line in first place! Now, I'm very excited to be at sea again, to get back into the rhythm and perform at our best with the boys!"

Sailing first through the leaving gate means that Team Malizia have started their 3,500 nautical mile-long race towards Denmark's second-largest city leading the fleet. Although they have known each other for many years, it is the first time that Boris Herrmann and Yann Eliès are sailing together. Along with co-skippers Will Harris and Rosalin Kuiper, the crew has done 51 Atlantic crossings so far.

The fleet of IMOCA race yacht with the many spectators watching both from land and out on the water - photo © Sailing Energy / The Ocean Race

"Leg 5 is an exciting one, it is an iconic, ocean racing leg, and it is counting for double points", said Malizia - Seaexplorer's skipper. "It will be a fast rhythm and a challenging sprint across the Atlantic and then coastal sailing in my home waters of the Baltic Sea. Currently, things couldn't go any better for our team. I am incredibly proud of the hard work they have been putting in, both on the water and on the shore. The boat is in perfect condition, we are more motivated than ever, we will stay focused, always with a smile, and we do think that we can win this race!"

At the time of this publication, the intensity of the racing hasn't slowed down: Team Malizia is currently sailing in second position, only 1,5 nm behind 11th Hour Racing Team.

During the stopover in Newport, Team Malizia engaged with local children to educate them on ocean protection and solutions to the climate crisis. The team also hosted a Malizia Sustainability Panel Debate on wind propulsion and the decarbonisation of maritime shipping. As they race around the world, the international team will continue to spread the message they are carrying on their sails and take concrete action in the fight against climate change.

Team Malizia's A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from their seven main partners: Schütz,the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, and Hapag-Lloyd. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions.

Team Malizia's sailing crew for Leg 5