Great success at the Vendée Globe

The race was closely contested throughout, with the top five boats all battling for position. Boris Herrmann was on course for a place in the history books as the first German sailor to take a podium position, and possibly even win the legendary race, when he collided with a fishing vessel some 90 miles from Les Sables d’Olonne in France where the race ended. This meant he had to greatly reduce his speed on the final approach, ultimately crossing the finish line after 80 days, 20 hours 59 minutes and 45 seconds at sea.

To add to the drama, the winner on the water is not necessarily the eventual victor. Boris Herrmann benefited from a six hour time bonus, acquired when he was diverted to support the rescue of Kevin Escoffier earlier in the race, and therefore had an anxious wait for fellow competitor Jean Le Cam to finish before his fifth place position was confirmed.

This was Boris Herrmann’s first ever Vendée Globe, which makes his top five finish even more of a laudable achievement. The Vendée Globe is considered one of the ultimate tests of sporting and human endeavour and the competitors demonstrate huge emotional, physical and mental strength in order to survive more than 80 days of consecutive competitive ocean racing, often in the most demanding of environments.

To succeed, Herrmann had to be strategically astute at all times and tackle a multitude of constantly evolving scenarios with skill and courage, often in the face of adversity. From giving up his position to go to the aid of a fellow competitor in the Southern Ocean, to recovering from the setback that saw his dream of a podium place slip away so close to the end, Boris Herrmann showed great fortitude and spirit in his quest to the finish line.

Whilst the Vendée Globe is a solo endeavour, Boris Herrmann was very much part of a broader team of sailing experts, technicians and meteorologists all of whom provided invaluable support and insight from their base in Monaco.

The other race Boris Herrmann and Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco embarked on was deemed ‘a race we must win’, a scientific mission to find a solution to ocean and climate change. The boat itself is fully sustainable, with built in solar panels and hydro generators to avoid use of fossil fuels. It is also equipped with an innovative on-board ocean laboratory, which transmits live data from some of the remotest parts of the world back to a team of dedicated scientists. This allows them to monitor the data in real time and gain valuable insights into the impact of climate change on the ocean. With the help of Boris Herrmann and Seaexplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco, the scientific community now has a greater idea of the health of the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic, areas that were previously relative unknowns in terms of climate data, although they can have a major influence on the global climate.

Set against the backdrop of a pandemic, this edition of the Vendée Globe was full of inspiring human stories that captivated audiences around the world and served as a timely reminder of what it takes to live life to the fullest.

Boris Herrmann summed it up in an emotional post race interview after being reunited with his family and team mates at Les Sables d’Olonne. Asked about the challenge, he said “the Vendée Globe has changed me, it has taught me a lot about patience and confidence...it’s about much more than just 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th place, although that is important, it’s about realising a dream. If you follow your dream, one day it can happen”.

Completing the Vendée Globe is a feat only a handful of sailors have ever achieved, so we are proud to be partner of Seaexplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco and our congratulations go to Boris and the team on this incredible result. Bravo Boris!

Watch the Vendée Globe finish for Boris Herrmann and Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco:

For more information please visit:

https://www.team-malizia.com/

https://www.borisherrmannracing.com/

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en