Boris Herrmann
Boris Herrmann is back in the battle for the podium. The "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" skipper had to torment himself in the intertropical convergence zone, also known as Doldrums, and fell back to seventh place. But now he has also reached the Northeast Passat in the northern hemisphere, has already passed into the Passat gallop and was able to reduce his deficit to front runner Charlie Dalin ("Apivia") again. In the interim classification, the 39-year-old had moved up to sixth place on Tuesday morning and is now on course north, around 150 nautical miles behind Dalin, in an exciting displacement race with the boats in front of him. In the early morning, Herrmann was only 13 nautical miles separated from "Maître Coq IV" skipper Yannick Bestaven in fifth place.
The positions at the end of the 72nd day at sea on January 19, 7 a.m. German time
After sailing more than 25,000 of the theoretically 24,296 nautical miles around the world, Herrmann has a good 2800 nautical miles to the start and destination port of Les Sables-d'Olonne. With a failure rate of almost 25 percent so far (eight tasks since the start with 33 boats), the marine marathon, often referred to as the "Demolition Derby", has so far been more gracious to its participants than the previous editions on average (46 percent). But Herrmann can achieve more than his most important goal of arriving. At its premiere, the Hamburg-based company stands up to the mighty French competition in a sensational way and is now attacking again. The lead of the boats lying in front of him could melt as Team Malizia's weather expert Will Harris predicted it on Monday evening exclusively for YACHT online.
Golden greetings from Louis Burton on "Bureau Vallée 2"
Louis Burton in an aggressive mood
The front runners know that they can now use every nautical mile ahead of the German with intact foils and healthy sails. Charlie Dalin, who has been shown as the leader 179 times in the intermediate rankings since the start of the ninth edition of the race on November 8, remains in front for the time being. Louis Burton ("Bureau Vallée 2") had led the fleet in two position reports and most recently crossed the equator first, but on Tuesday morning he fell back to fourth place, 108 nautical miles behind Dalin and his smaller foils. Thomas Ruyant ("LinkedOut") had a strong night, catapulting himself back to second place and chasing Dalin a little more than 100 nautical miles behind. Damien Seguin kept up with "Groupe Apicil" initially without foils and was only two nautical miles behind Ruyant in third at the end of the 72nd day at sea.
In this clip from board Boris Herrmann describes how good it feels after the torment of Doldrums when the wind comes back
JOSCHKE COMES CLOSER TO THE SAFE PORT
The Franco-German Isabelle Joschke is getting closer and closer to the port of call, chosen by her and her team, Salvador de Bahi, after her task. Still with the freely swinging keel of her "MACSF" and therefore traveling extremely cautiously with mostly only six to eight knots, the 43-year-old from Lorient in Brittany was finally reconciled with herself and the race. The Munich-born skipper told YACHT online: "On the way to Salvador de Bahis I even crossed my own lane and had the feeling of having sailed the three capes and thus the world. I want to keep this feeling."