Run-up to the Rhum 

Défi Azimut – Lorient  – 13-18 September

Friday 16^th September 2022. The IMOCA universe descended on Lorient for the 12^th Défi Azimut comprising Runs (pure speed), the flagship 48H Azimut event of the meeting solo or with crew, and finally the Chrono Tour de Groix with crew. Since Wednesday, some 30 boats, of which six were new including Boris Herrmann’s Malizia-Seaexplorer, were racing in Brittany.

Atlantic with crew for Malizia-Seaexplorer

It was at 14:38 on Thursday 15^th September that the starting gun fired for the IMOCAs in the 48-hour event in the Gulf of Gascogne. After a gentle start in an 8-knot breeze, the fleet accelerated away in the middle of the Gulf. In the quartet of 60-footers racing with crew, Malizia-Seaexplorer led by Boris Herrmann were in the top two mid-course. With her spoon-shaped bow and chistera-like foils, Malizia-Seaexplorer is proving a competitive beast.

First major warm-up

The German skipper, IMOCA Globe Series Champion 2018-2021, was in his element offshore on his new mount unveiled to the public on Tuesday 19^th July 2022 in Lorient after an 18-month design-build project.

Malizia-Seaexplorer, latest addition to the Team Malizia stable founded by YCM Vice-President Pierre Casiraghi, seized the opportunity to show off her foils before the bulk of the regatta agenda kicks off with the Route du Rhum departure on 6^th November 2022 in Saint-Malo.