When Boris Herrmann had just pulled in the second reef overnight, he discovered the trouble: a crack in the mainsail. "Fortunately, I was able to repair that pretty quickly within about half an hour, because the crack was at a good height just above the reef and I didn't have to lower the mainsail. Cross your fingers: No more problems with sails! That's my wish for the new year ", said the 39-year-old from Hamburg, who was heading towards Cape Horn in fifth place on New Year's morning and was fast in increasing winds.
Boris Herrmann discovered this crack on New Year's Eve. He hopes it's not a sign of fatigue
Repair work right at the beginning of the year… Herrmann has long been back on the road again
Yannick Bestaven
Charlie Dalin
At the head of the front group, "Apivia" skipper Charlie Dalin will not give up on January 1, 2021 either. At around 130 nautical miles behind the leading Yannick Bestaven on "Maître Coq IV", Dalin stayed with the fastest speed recently. Around 600 nautical miles from Cape Horn, both skippers - well positioned in front of the front - managed 24-hour etmas of 452 and 417 nautical miles. Only the third-placed "LinkedOut" skipper Thomas Ruyant could almost keep up with 375 nautical miles. All other hunters had to struggle with light winds on New Year's Eve and could not cover 300 nautical miles in 24 hours before they too accelerated considerably.
New Year's morning positions at the end of the 54th day at sea
Boris Herrmann is optimistic about his Cape Horn Passage
"The contrasts are unbelievable out here at sea. From those quiet moments this morning I am now traveling at full speed with two reefs and J3, so very small sails," Herrmann reported in the night. On New Year's morning around 9 a.m. German time he had already pulled in the third reef and said: "Now I am on the pitch black night with three reefs and J3 and sometimes with boat speeds of 25 knots. The wind is very unstable."
The impressive symbolic image for the world of the Vendée Globe skipper was achieved by Clarisse Crémer, who was in twelfth place on "Banque Populaire X"
Clarisse Crémers view of the sea: impressive!
For the new year 2021 Boris Herrmannn has decided to "live more in the moment here on board". He has also made further resolutions: "I want to develop our children's education program 'My Ocean Challenge' and try to continue doing something for climate protection." The first German skipper expects his own Cape Horn Passage in the Vendée Globe on January 4th. In contrast to the stormy conditions with winds of more than 40 knots and seven, eight meter high wave crests, which the two front runners will probably have to reckon with on their Cape Horn Passage on Saturday evening, Boris Herrmann goes for his own "summit storm" on Sunday evening or Monday morning with slightly better conditions: "I'm behind the low. I have the strongest conditions tonight. At Cape Horn itself, I expect downwinds of 20, 25 knots. So good conditions. I hope I can see the cape."
Boris Herrmann welcomes you in 2021 with a victory sign and colorful garlands on board the "Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco" in a happy mood
After the passage, Herrmann has big plans for his Atlantic home stretch: "Dwill and I can attack. I mustn't start counting down the days. Then it will be incredibly long. I hope that I can show a little more of the potential of this ship. " According to Herrmann, his Imoca yacht is still "100 percent intact" at this point in the race: "We prepared the ship well for four years with a good team. I had developed a kind of paranoia about every detail watch. So I think that a certain perfectionism has led to the current state."
Herrmann's interim result at its premiere on New Year's morning is promising: "The result is positive. I am currently fifth and have a good chance of moving up to fourth place. Damien Seguin no longer has a gennaker. I don't think he's actually a big one in this race But there are always surprises, of course, and it is well known that the bill is only paid at the finish line. The scientific data that we collect is a very important component of this campaign. Nobody can take that away from us."
Here you can find the tracker and the intermediate results.
He remains a strong hunter at the beginning of the year: "Charal" skipper Jérémie Beyou has made up several hundred nautical miles on the Pip Hare (16th) and Arnaud Boissières (17th) in front of him as 18th in the past few days. After breaking and repairing in Les Sables-d'Olonne nine days after the field, Beyou is only 150 nautical miles from Boissières