Status: 07.08.2025 5:27 p.m.
The second edition of Ocean Race Europe starts in Kiel on Sunday. The NDR will broadcast live from 1.15 p.m. Seven Imocas are there, including Boris Herrmann and his team Malizia. The Hamburg world dealer pays off something – and relies on the home advantage.
There is slowly excitement and anticipation. Boris Herrmann really doesn’t want to get away. “The Kiellinie is full of friendly and enthusiastic people. I think it’s great here and actually don’t want to get rid of it so quickly,” the Hamburg smiled with a view of the start of the Ocean Race Europe on Sunday (3.45 p.m., live in the NDR).
The sailing enthusiasts of Kiel are sympathetic to the calm, level -headed world, the fjord is his home area. He has been sailing here for 26 years – and knows his way around. “Starting at home is a home advantage. I sailed a lot here and also lived for a while. That makes it much easier for me,” said the Oldenburg native on Thursday.
In 2002 he was there as a fan and young sailor when the Kiel Fjord foamed and more than 100,000 spectators celebrated the Illbruck on land and on the water – the first and so far only German winning yacht in the Ocean Race around the world. A motivation boost with effect: the 44-year-old is now a star of the scene.
Over five stages to Montenegro
He was celebrated frenetically two years ago when a “fly-by” took place in the Kiel Inner Interior for the Ocean Race around the globe. A highly emotional moment for Herrmann. Now the traditional sailing area is the starting point of the crew regatta through the European oceans.
Over 4,500 nautical miles (8,334 kilometers), we run over five stages to the destination port Boka Bay (Montenegro) by September 20. Herrmann will pause on the second, longest stage from Portsmouth to Cartagena and how proven by his British co-skipper wants to represent Harris.
Video:
The Ocean Race Europe – The route (2 min)
Ocean-Race winner Justine Mettraux (Switzerland), Colon Sail Cole Brauer (USA), Francesca Clapcich (Italy/America) and the French Loïs Berrehar are also part of the rotating Malizia sailing squad. Herrmann, Harris, Mettraux and Brewer are required. There is also an offer reporter Flore Hartout.
“Will be hard and brutally intense”
There are no long stages such as a transatlantic race or deprivation-rich, wild rides as well as through the ice-cold southern army in the European race. And yet it has a lot of challenges and pitfalls for the seven participating IMOCA yachts.
“You can’t get into the rhythm. We are only at sea for a few days and have something, lots of traffic or country or currents,” reported Herrmann. “Turn every half an hour, change the sails, always adjust to the new wind conditions on the coast – it will be hard and brutally intense.”
Every mistake is punished immediately: “It will be decided on small details,” said Herrmann. Co-skipper Harris awaits tight decisions of centimeters at the target arrivals, not from hours.
See you again with Rosalin Kuiper
Especially since the Malizia team gets to do with well-known competition: At the starting line near the Kiel-Schilksee Olympic Center, more panel candidates than outsiders will check out.
Rosalin Kuiper 2023 on board the Malizia.
The Paprec Arkéa team is led by Yoann Richomme, who took second place behind winners Charlie Dalin at this year’s Vendée Globe Solo World Center. Biotherm has another prominent Vendée participant (fifth place) as a crew boss in Paul Meilhat.
Skipper of the Swiss Holcim – PrB is Boris Herrmann’s former co -skipper Rosalin Kuiper. In 2023, the Dutch and the Malizia team took third place at Ocean Race. Now they are rivals on the water. “Team Malizia stays in my heart. They are good friends. It’s cool to sail against each other now,” said Kuiper.
Herrmann is aiming for the podium
“The fleet is definitely strong. I think almost all ships have earned a place on the podium,” says Herrmann, who is also one of the fellow favorites: “Of course we give everything and can win that too.” Nevertheless, the 44-year-old is clear with a view to the expected light and medium-sized European summer winds: “Our ship may not be the strongest in these middle and transition winches. Holcim is quite strong.”
In the Kiel Ocean Live Park, the festival atmosphere has been in the mood since Wednesday, and despite the familiar setting, the six -time global sailor is also tensioning. “I am definitely very excited,” said Herrmann. “Also because it is the last race with my ship. I just want to create a nice end with this ship.”
Farewell to the Malizia – Seaexplorer
After the Ocean Race Europe, the Malizia – Seaexplorer will be handed over to the new owner Clapcich, which is now also part of the team. Herrmann gets his new high-tech yacht in the summer of 2026. And that, said Herrmann on Thursday, “is almost finished. It still takes time for everything to be in place, but the design process is almost complete.” Long-distance goals are the success in the Ocean Race around the world 2027 and the third Vendée Globe solo 2028.
Just no collision to start
But now the focus is on the start of the most important regatta of the year. Good and without a collision – that is the first big goal: “Once we have been out, away from the others, away from all the shallows, then we can really concentrate on our actual work,” said Herrmann, before he shared a not so nice memory of Kiel with a wink: “I have already run here. We try to avoid that on Sunday.”