After the spectacular Ocean Race, Team Malizia set sail again. Boris Herrmann and Will Harris are sailing in the 48-hour Défi Azimut race. A first test on the way to the Vendée Globe 2024. News, videos, background information about the regatta in the live blog at NDR.de.
Live tracker – Follow the racing events at a glance
Exciting duel at the top
Early on Friday evening (6 p.m.) Charal (Jérémie Beyou/Franck Cammas) and For the Planet (Sam Goodchild/Thomas Ruyant) fought an exciting duel. The lead changed several times, and now Charal is in first place with a lead of just under a nautical mile.
In seventh place: The Malizia with Boris Herrmann and Will Harris (almost 50 nautical miles behind)
Herrmann: “It’s a good feeling to be taking part in a regatta again”
A lack of attention in navigation cost Boris Herrmann and Will Harris a better position in the intermediate classification of the race. “We sailed past a waypoint because there was a waypoint change shortly before the start that we didn’t notice,” reported the man from Hamburg.
Severe water intrusion – Kiel sailors are unlucky
Bad luck for the Kiel sailor Andreas Baden: At his Défi-Azimut premiere he had to give up the race with skipper Fabrice Amedeo on “Nexans – Art & Fênetres” after the first night because an inspection hatch had opened and the crew experienced a serious influx of water . The team has brought the situation under control and is heading for Lorient.
Mast broke at Malizia competitor – crew doing well
Incident at Défi Azimut: Last night around 1.30 a.m. the mast of Malizia’s competitor Corum L’Épargne broke. The race management announced this on Friday morning. The accident happened 80 nautical miles off Audierne, in the southwest of the Brittany headland. The boat had passed the second course mark and was in rough seas with a wind speed of 25 knots.
The crew, consisting of Nicolas Troussel, Benjamin Schwartz and onboard reporter Tanguy Conq, are fine and have not requested any help.
Malizia is at the front of the field
Boris Herrmann and Will Harris are doing well in the race of the 33 Imoca racing yachts. After the second turning point of the 610 nautical mile loop to Biscay and back to Lorient, the Malizia is in seventh place.
Hard work for the sailors around Herrmann and Harris
The conditions during the race are tough and there is a lot to do for the sailors. The Malizia yacht with Boris Herrmann and Will Harris fell further behind on the way to the first turning point. The 13th boat is 16.5 nautical miles behind the leading Charal team. The second German Andreas Baden (Nexans) is in 31st place.
“Happy Sailors”
The fact that the conditions off the French Atlantic coast are rough does not dampen the good spirits of the sailors. Boris Herrmann and Will Haris on board the Malizia are also obviously enjoying being on the water again. The Hamburger wrote on his X-profile: “We are so happy to be back in racing mode.”
Malizia doing well, Team Nexans further back
A good three hours after the start, Andreas Baden, the second German participant in the regatta, is already sailing a little behind the leaders with his co-skipper Fabrice Amedeo. The Nexans team is twelve nautical miles behind the leaders in 30th place. The Malizia of Boris Herrmann and Will Harris is currently in ninth place.
But “only” 33 Imoca racing yachts were there
In total, “only” 33 Imocas made their way to the Bay of Biscay. Guirec Soudée and Roland Jourdain did not start. The field is expected to arrive between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Starting line passed – Défi Azimut with the Malizia running
The racing yachts started in the Défi Azimut. Team Malizia with skipper Boris Herrmann and Will Harris ranked 17th. The conditions are rough off Lorient and are expected to become even more uncomfortable on the first day of the 48-hour regatta.
Boats on the water – start at 12.30 p.m
Almost all of the 35 racing yachts have undocked and are preparing for the start at 12.30 p.m. Boris Herrmann and Will Harris are also on their way out of the harbor with the Malizia – Seaexplorer.
Challenging ones Conditions await Malizia and Co.
The 35 racing yachts can expect challenging conditions, including heavy seas, on the loop from Lorient to the Bay of Biscay and back again. “The Défi Azimut is an exciting meeting,” said Antoine Mermod, president of the Imoca class. “It is the first meeting of 2023 that brings together the entire squad and gives us the opportunity to establish an initial ranking.”
Cast off in Lorient – Today the Défi Azimut starts with the Malizia
Originally scheduled for 3:30 p.m., the field of Imoca racing yachts will start the 48-hour Défi Azimut two-handed regatta in Lorient, France, at 12:30 p.m. today. Also there was Boris Herrmann from Hamburg, skipper of the Malizia – Seaexplorer, and his co-skipper Will Harris.
Défi Azimut: 34 competitors for Herrmann and Harris
From Thursday (12.30 p.m.) 34 competitors will be sailing for victory in the Défi Azimut against Boris Herrmann and Will Harris. In addition to the skipper of the Malizia, there is also a second German: Andreas Baden from Bonn is contesting the 48-hour race together with the Frenchman Fabrice Amedeo. The expected finish for the winner is Saturday between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.
48-hour race Défi Azimut is coming up
On Thursday at 12.30 p.m. the starting signal for the 48-hour Défi Azimut race will be given in front of Lorient. Team Malizia with skipper Boris Herrmann from Hamburg and co-skipper Will Harris will also be taking part in the two-handed regatta. For the total of 35 Imoca racing yachts, the race is an initial assessment on the way to the Vendée Globe 2024.
Lunven and Kuiper leave Team Malizia
Shortly before the start of the Défi Azimut, the Malizia team had to cope with two departures. Rosalin Kuiper and Nicolas Lunven will now sail for “Holcim – PRB”. The Frenchman, who served as navigator for Team Malizia, will skipper Holcim into the 2024 Vendée Globe, where he will face Boris Herrmann. “It is a great honor that I have been selected to lead this team,” Lunven said
The two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre regatta is coming up
After the Défi Azimut, the next big test for the Vendée Globe is coming up at the end of October. Boris Herrmann and Will Harris will also take part in the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre regatta from Le Have to Martinique from October 29th.
Ocean Race review
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Sports club | Sep 24, 2023 | 10:50 p.m
