In November 2020 Boris Herrmann will be the first German sailor in three decades of Vendée Globe history to take part in the toughest sailing test for man and material. But that's not all: What YACHT already reported online, the Hamburg-based resident has now also sealed with the official message for The Ocean Race: The 38-year-old and his team have been accepted as participants in the most famous team race around the world. The marine marathon, known as the Whitbread Round the World Race and continued as the Volvo Ocean Race, is entering its 14th edition in two years and is considered the most important regatta for sailing teams. Herrmanns is forming a young, German-international mixed crew for the challenge, who will sail around the world on the 18-meter-long Imoc under the German flag.
Team Malizi in competition with the greats of the scene
"The Volvo Ocean Race became a legend and, along with the Vendée, the America's Cup and the Olympic Games, is one of the 'big four' in sailing. Now it is called The Ocean Race and is therefore also potentially attractive for our German automotive partner BMW", says Herrmann, who for two years has played a key role in the executive committee of the Imoca class to ensure that the modern Open 60 boats will also start in the Ocean Race in the future. And further: "This is a unique opportunity for us and the entire sailing sport in Germany."
It's fantastic to have Hermann and his team with us
"It is fantastic to welcome Boris Herrmann and the Malizi team after taking the first steps to participate in the 2021/22 edition of The Ocean Race. As a registered team, you have access to our supportive resources from the Regatta organizer, "says Richard Mason, head of organization for The Ocean Race. Germany has a short but impressive history in this race with the overall winner illbruck Challenge 2001/02. "With his full offshore regatta program up to the start of The Ocean Race, Boris has a good starting position to continue this success story. His team is also a strong ambassador for marine protection and sustainability, which are also the focus of the event The Ocean Race of the future," said Mason.
Have already passed a few tests with confidence: "Malizia" and her skipper Boris Herrmann
Since winning the Leverkusen illbruck Challenge 20 years ago, no German team has taken part in the world regatta. Now there are possibly two, because the Offshore Team Germany (OTG), which will christen its boat in Kiel on June 21, is also sailing on course for The Ocean Race. The next route should again have longer Southern Ocean stages and then lead back to Europe via several stage ports - which increases the attractiveness for fans and sponsors alike. The start will be in Alicante / Spain in autumn 2021, with the goal in Europe in summer 2022. The exact route with the stage ports will be announced shortly.
Fast Foiler "Malizia"
With foils and a standard mast, "Malizia" meets the requirements
"With the 'Malizia' our team has a highly optimized boat as a prerequisite for a successful participation", said the skipper. Not every IMOCA Open60 boat is admitted to the Ocean Race. They have to be equipped with foils (side wings instead of plug-in swords) of the latest Imoca generation and sail with a standard mast prescribed by the class. "The 'Malizia' is currently the only German yacht that meets these criteria," said Boris Herrmann. The 18.26 meter long and 5.5 meter wide racing yacht was built in 2015 as one of the first Open 60 for the French Gitana team using the latest technology with foils. Two years later, the Stuttgart real estate entrepreneur Gerhard Senft, who was a friend of Boris Herrmann, bought the boat for the Malizia team. Since then, the yacht has been registered in the Hamburg shipping register and sails under the German flag.
Yacht Club de Monaco secures Vendée Globe
During the four-year preparation for the Vendée Globe, which is also known as Mount Everest of the Seas, Herrmann is significantly supported by the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM). His sailing friend Pierre Casiraghi, eldest son of Princess Caroline of Monaco, is YCM Vice President and team founder. As a couple, the German and his Monegasque co-skipper contested their first joint race of the year at the 67th GiragliRolex Race from Saint-Tropez in France around the Giraglia rock in northern Corsica to Monaco. For the 241 nautical miles they only needed 20 hours and a good 40 minutes. Herrmann and Casiraghi will also contest the legendary Rolex Fastnet Race on August 3rd in England together.
At work below deck: Pierre Casiraghi and Boris Herrmann
"The partnership with Monaco is extraordinary and financially ensures the first German participation in the Vendée", Boris Herrmann thanks both the club and the principality as a whole. The Maliziacht team is currently working full-time with international experts, supported by several independent, professional consultants. The budget is small compared to other top campaigns, but has already taken it to second place in the Imoca world rankings.
Sailing enthusiasts and also co-skippers for two-handed and team regattas: Pierre Casiraghi and Boris Herrmann
Business partners for the future
Regardless of the support from the YCM, the Malizie team is looking for a strong partner from the business world who wants to go with them immediately beyond the summer of 2021. The Ocean Race is the next milestone after the Vendée. The world race with numerous stage stops offers globally operating companies unique hospitality opportunities and broad visibility of their brands in the most important markets. Since it was founded four years ago, Boris Herrmann, who was the first German skipper to win a race around the world in 2008/09 (Portimão Global Ocean Race with Felix Oehme) and, with 47 days, is the fastest German circumnavigator, has established his team in terms of sport and is among the best in the world positioned.
In ten offshore regattas with the Open 60, none of which had to be given up, the skipper always ended up in the top six, alone or with a crew. The Malizibis team has already sailed around the world twice today and has gained more experience than any of its competitors. Herrmann: "We want to have the most reliable ship at the start next year. That is the basis for a solid success." Although the focus is currently on the preparation of the one-handed Olympus, the Malizi team also works with a crew from time to time. In 2018 Boris Herrmann won the Atlantic Anniversary Race with a five-man team from Northern Germany as the fastest ship at the finish off Cuxhaven and in the first race with this crew strength on an Imoca Open60 yacht proved that the class is ideally suited for this.
49er FX sailor Susann Beucke on board
The 49er FX sailor Susann Beucke from Strande recently went on board for three short races and underlined her ambitions in deep sea sailing. "My first assignment on the 'Malizia' was overwhelming. The team spirit is fantastic, and I've learned a lot about the high-tech boat. It won't be so easy to go back to the skiff," enthused Susann Beucke. After her Olympic campaign for Tokyo 2020, she wants to switch to deep sea sailing. "Susann has what it takes to take part in the Ocean Race with us," said Herrmann. "At the moment, in my opinion, she is the most qualified German candidate."
Sailing for climate and marine protection
"Just sailing fast is not enough", emphasizes Boris Herrmann again and again, "we professionals have to do more and stand behind a mission." Its applies to climate and marine protection. The MaliziOcean Challenge campaign deals scientifically as well as educationally with climate change. In cooperation with world-leading institutions, including the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Hamburg and the Geomar Helmholtz Center for Marine Research in Kiel, the carbon dioxide and salt content of the world's oceans is measured on all routes to determine its importance for global warming analyze. For this purpose, the "Malizia" has incorporated its own ocean laboratory, a highly developed measuring system with a special sensor, into the on-board technology. At the same time, a school program is running in several countries, including Germany, which sensitizes children between the ages of eight and 14 to issues relating to environmental and marine protection at an early stage. So far 4,500 girls and boys have taken part in the seminars. Teachers and students can apply for free participation in the program through the myoceanchallenge.org website.
In January, the project received the Ocean Tribute Award from Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Hamburg Sea Foundation at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf. The next major public appearance will be Climate Week in Hamburg at the end of September. On September 27th, Birte Lorenzen, in the Malizi team responsible for the educational part, together with Peter Landschützer from the Max Planck Institute and Boris Herrmann, will lead a major event for 400 Hamburg school children on the subject of climate change and the oceans. Boris Herrmann is not only pushing the topic of sustainability with his own MaliziOcean Challenge, but is also the Imoca class representative on the topic. He coordinates the coordination with The Ocean Race, for which all yachts are to be equipped with an identical ocean-going laboratory, as the "Malizia" has been carrying on board since last summer.
Round-the-world skipper Boris Herrmann
