Status: 29.01.2025 11:27 p.m.
Sailor Boris Herrmann ended his second Vendée Globe in twelve – for the Seaexplorer skipper of the Malizia. On the way alone non -stop around the world, a lot came together. The chronology.
Herrmann described the Vendée Globe as a “ultimate challenge” before his start. And he passed it. Although not as successful as the Oldenburg native had hoped for. Four years ago, Herrmann had missed the podium only because of a collision with a fish trawler and became fifth. In 2024, he had lifted attention to the transatlantic regattas “Transat CIC” and the “New York Vendée” in preparation for the global conveyor with the second places.
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It should be a place on the podium. And not least because of his new Malizia Seaexplorer, who had been stealed for the conditions in the South Pole Arctic Ocean after the experience of his first Vendée Globe. But it turned out very differently – and that had many reasons, as a look at the NDR “logbook” shows:
November 10th to November 22: Herrmann with a good start – and first problems
The Malizia surprises with the best start of all 40 boats. Herrmann at least briefly leads the fleet. With very light winds, however, all imocas hardly make any progress. However, the native Oldenburg also has to quickly solve a first technical problem on board that claims his attention. Herrmann falls behind a little, he passed the equator on November 22, as 14th, the gap to the top group is a manageable 120 nautical miles.
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November 23 to December 2: Frustration and grief at the Cape of Good Hope
But the supposedly small distance is deceptive – the consequences are drastic. On the way to the Cape of Good Hope, Herrmann loses the connection because he misses the first big groof. The leadership group around the later winner Charlie Dalin sails and of them – and, above all, catches another low pressure area.
“Sometimes I want to cry.”
Skipper Boris Herrmann
“Sometimes I want to cry,” admits the North German on the 19th day of the race at the end of November. “Four years of preparation, a new boat and the dream to cut through the waves with 20 knots. And now I’m sitting here, in the doldrum. That makes me sad.”
While Dalin and Co. break speed records with these unexpected possibilities, Herrmann can hardly get off the spot. When he passed the Cape of Good Hope a few days later, the gap has grown on over 1,300 nautical miles.
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3rd to December 12th: Hope for the “home game” on the ice border
Before the race, Herrmann explained that he was going to the top from a certain deficit until he himself reached the South Pole Army. The Malizia is supposed to play all its strengths on the ice border: it puts on “A home game for our boat”.
But hope is very strained. Not only that Herrmann cannot really shorten the gap to the top on the way to Cape Leeuwin. At the same time, he does not settle from three competitors. Herrmann sets himself smaller goals: he has hope of on New Year on Cape Hoorn is his “big goal,” he says on December 10th. Cape Leeuwin, where the leaders are over at the time, was a “big milestone” for him.
When Herrmann, who is back in the top ten, and his competitors pass the southwesternmost point of the Australian mainland, the top group is still almost 1,200 nautical miles ahead.
December 13th to December 18: Malizia shows its strength
Finally Herrmann play the conditions in the cards. The Malizia can show its qualities at very rauer See and stem in the direction of Point Nemo. On December 18, the gap has shrunk to almost 850 nautical miles. Except for Justine Mettraux (160 nautical miles behind), he has left his long-term companions far behind. And suddenly fourth place at 300 nautical miles is again within reach.
December 19th to 28th: Herrmann quickly, Dalin and Co. Faster
But then the mail goes again at the front. And Herrmann first has to survive a moment of terror: Shortly before Christmas, he “capsized at the worst sea of sea”. But he gets his yacht under control again. Nevertheless, the deficit to the top up to the Cape Horn has grown again on more than 1,600 nautical miles.
The fact that Herrmann struggles is very different: “The Vendée Globe brings me no luck,” says the 43-year-old because he rises at night and at night at the last large Cape of the one-handed regatta. He had hoped for a passage in daylight with a good view of the iconic rock island.
After all, the Hamburger himself is quickly on the road: on December 28th and three days faster than targeted, he rounds off Cape Horn.
December 29 to January 7: Course north and forward
As a result, it runs very well, his course leads to Herrmann, even if he struggles with one or the other decision. The sheet seems to turn for him. Suddenly there is even fourth place – and thus an improvement compared to its first Vendée Globe – within reach. Behind Sam Goodchild (vulnerable) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal), the northern German is on the road further west than the direct competitors in the group.
8. to January 19: Budents, Pech and Pannen
But a setback follows on the foot. A stop of the rigging threatens to tear – Herrmann has to conquer his fear of heights to improve the damage at a height of 29 meters. The joy of the successful action lasts only briefly.
A lightning strike puts parts of the electronics on board. Herrmann is still lucky in misfortune. Two days later, he also loses his most important pension. The suspension is broken – a part whose installation was Herrmann’s idea. The 43-year-old blames himself. When the waves allows it again, the skipper can attach the sail and sail in a conventional path.
But it continues to be sticky: In a collision with an unknown object, the Packbord Foil is damaged so much that it is no longer to be used. In an artistic repair campaign, Herrmann at least succeeds in ensuring that the foil can be achieved 80 percent. But unlike the third -placed Sébastien Simon, to whom a large part of the foil has been demolished, Herrmann is from then on is slowed down by the water resistance.
20. to January 29: Herrmann “just wants to go home”
The rest of the race becomes a special test in an already hard regatta. On the one hand, the boat can no longer like it. “I just want to go home,” says the skipper. On the other hand, the Cape Finisterre once again moves extremely harsh weather with hurricane -like gusts and meter -high waves – sailing remains a huge challenge until the end. Herrmann: “It is the hardest conditions I’ve ever seen.”
In fact, the six -time globe sailor, which is widely fallen back in the classification, pushes back to Samatha Davies in twelve. The Britin had slowed her boat early so as not to go in too much danger in the storm. Herrmann navigates cleverly, stays behind the large low pressure area and so in front of Davies. Even a crack in the large sail shortly before the target does not change anything.
After 80 days, 10 hours, 46 minutes and 41 seconds, after a difficult Vendée Globe, he is full of bankruptcy, bad luck and breakdown.
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