Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer): challenges overcome

Boris Herrmann, a Yacht Club de Monaco member, crossed the finish line of the 10th Vendée Globe aboard Malizia-Seaexplorer at 11:18pm on Wednesday 29th January. After a smooth race for three quarters of the course, the skipper faced a series of challenges in the final miles: a hook failure, a collision with an OANI (unidentified animal or object), and extreme weather conditions approaching the Vendée coast. He ultimately crossed the finish line in 12th place and completed his race in 80 days 10 hours 16 minutes 41 seconds.

“Boris showed exceptional resilience throughout the race, especially on the final stretch. He overcame technical and logistical challenges with courage and determination, particularly from the equator onward. Completing a Vendée Globe is an incredible achievement in itself, but it’s even more remarkable in these conditions”, comments Pierre Casiraghi, vice-president of the Yacht Club de Monaco and founder of Team Malizia who came to meet the sailor as soon as he arrived. He had a nice surprise for the occasion: Jimmy Spithill, two-time America’s Cup winner and skipper of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, whom Boris had followed with great enthusiasm during the last edition.

More demanding and action-packed

“Finishing a Vendée Globe is always a unique experience,” said Boris on arrival, visibly relieved to have crossed the finish line. Difficult weather conditions and an exceptionally competitive field marked this 2024-2025 edition. Unlike the previous race where the competition appeared less homogenous, Boris faced a significant number of high-level skippers this time round with a bigger number very much in the race to the end. “The level of the whole fleet has also improved. Every aspect has gone up a notch in the space of four years,” said Boris.

 

While the lead group gave it a Solitaire du Figaro air, the peloton maintained a good pace. “Boris has had us on tenterhooks from start to finish of this Vendée Globe. We’ve followed his journey closely, organising a live update session at the YCM every Wednesday for our members and young people in the Sports Section, so they could see how the race evolved in real time, contributing to analysing his strategy and even having a chance to chat with him when conditions allowed. It was a fantastic opportunity to follow this great adventure up-close,” said YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri.

 

 

Boris Herrmann: personal challenges overcome

One of the big successes for the skipper was how he managed two major personal challenges: fear of heights (when climbing the mast) and solitude at sea which had such a big impact during his first Vendee Globe in 2020/2021. This time he managed to overcome his fears thanks mainly to his customised boat, Malizia-Seaexplorer, and the improvements he made on it. The technical adjustments meant he was able to sail with more peace of mind and better tackle the most difficult moments in the race. “What’s great about the Vendée Globe is how you dig deep to find new inner resources. By confronting complex challenges, you discover surprising things about yourself”.

Malizia-Seaexplorer: a boat that performs well

Although weather conditions were not the same as in 2020-2021, and the boat design not always the determining factor, Malizia-Seaexplorer played a key role in the most demanding phases. Designed to sail at speed, the boat was much more stable allowing Boris to stay competitive throughout the race and stay in contact with other famous skippers like Justine Mettraux, Sam Davies and Paul Meilhat.

 

Highlights of the race

There were many key moments during the German sailor’s race, including technical challenges that could have jeopardised his chances of finishing. Managing extreme conditions in the Southern Ocean, the tumultuous crossing of the Indian Ocean and the many technical repairs he had to carry out in difficult situations, nothing could shake the skipper’s determination. On his second crack at this non-stop solo round the world race without assistance, Boris clocked up yet another Cape Horn crossing, the seventh in his career! An emblematic stage in “race” mode for the skipper who rounded it just 31 seconds ahead of Paul Meilhat (Biotherm). Fierce competition coupled with unpredictable weather conditions jangled competitors’ nerves as they dealt with a range of scenarios over the miles. His hopes of breaking into the top five were dashed when he collided with an OANI on January 16. But he hasn’t given up yet: “It just goes to show that nothing is over until you cross the finish line!”.

 

Attentive to the oceans

Throughout the race, Boris had a dual mission: to bring his boat back to port safely and to collect vital data for the scientific community from these zones that are so difficult to access. The environmental aspect has become a priority for organisers and skippers. Boris had an OceanPack on board, a tool to take water samples to measure salinity, temperature, oxygen and CO2 content, as well as a weather buoy weighing 20kg measuring atmospheric pressure, temperature and surface current. This commitment to the environment was being done through the new Vendée Globe endowment fund of which HSH Prince Albert II is this year’s Honorary President.

 

After 80 days at sea and 29,201 nautical miles sailed at an average speed of 15.13 knots, Boris braved Storm Herminia, with gusts of over 65 knots and waves of 8 to 10 meters. It was with great emotion that he reunited with his wife Birte, his daughter and the rest of Team Malizia. Now another adventure awaits him: the Herrmann Mania, which is sweeping across Germany, captivated by its skipper.