IMOCA – Malizia-Seaexplorer – Vendée Globe

  This morning, Boris Herrmann on Malizia-Seaexplorer reached a symbolic stage on the Vendée Globe.  After 48 days at sea and several gruelling weeks edging round the Antarctic, Boris rounded Cape Horn and entered the Atlantic leaving the Vendée Globe’s three great capes behind him.

Ahead of schedule

“We’ve crossed the Cape Horn longitude, the last of the three capes in the transition between the Pacific and the Atlantic. Sadly, I couldn’t see the cape which was very disappointing. But I am ahead of my goal of rounding it before the new year, an ambition expressed at the start. And I did it three days early! We are also a week ahead of the last Vendée Globe, despite an initially slow crossing of the Atlantic”.

The last part in the Pacific was particularly challenging with headwinds and brutal conditions. “I’m relieved to leave the Pacific. To be honest, I’d had enough of it. It was cold, grey and exhausting. Now I’m ready for a change even if the Atlantic is not going to be a piece of cake. Two big depressions are looming and the beat back north will be upwind, all the way until Recife on the Brazilian coast. Even once I catch the trade winds, there will still be 12 very demanding days ahead”.

For now, time to rest for a few hours in calmer conditions. “The aim is to recharge the batteries quickly before tackling the South Atlantic and its challenges”. After a night of battling hard to gain 7th place, Boris Herrmann crossed the Cape Horn longitude just 31 seconds ahead of Paul Meilhat (Biotherm). He made it and can now boast of his seventh rounding of Cape Horn, in a well-deserved 7th position.