In Pursuit, Team Malizia’s Boris Herrmann Crosses the Equator in the Vendée Globe
by Team Malizia 22 Nov 01:24 PST
Boris Herrmann in the Vendée Globe © Boris Herrmann
On early Friday morning at 05:44 UTC (06:44 CET), Boris Herrmann became the 14th solo sailor to cross the Equator after 11 days, 17 hours, 42 minutes, and 42 seconds of racing in this iconic global event. He entered the Southern Hemisphere 10 hours, 34 minutes, and 27 seconds behind current leader Thomas Ruyant (Vulnerable).
“November 22nd aboard Malizia – Seaexplorer,” the German skipper said in a voice note sent moments ago. “At 05:44 UTC, we crossed the Equator with the sunrise—or at least with the dawn; the actual sunrise will occur in about half an hour. It’s been a wonderful night with light winds of 12 to 14 knots, which is quite moderate and comfortable. Nevertheless, the boat is sailing at around 14 to 16 knots—not as fast as some leaders further ahead. I’ve heard they’re experiencing slightly stronger winds. I hope the wind treats us well here in the Southern Hemisphere and carries us smoothly until we exit this side of the world around mid-January next year at a similar locale. We’ll be ‘upside down’ here for that long. Warm greetings from onboard to all following the race, and best wishes! Have a great day!
Unpredictable weather conditions from the race’s start have led to frequent lead changes in the opening two weeks. While heading south may have brought warmer weather, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. For Team Malizia’s skipper, who is lagging behind the lead group, navigating light and variable winds has made progress frustratingly slow, sometimes giving the impression of going in circles. In such challenging conditions, all he could do was adhere to his strategy, keep a composed mind, and remain optimistic. “I’ve made strides with my mindset, and I’m very pleased about that,” he remarked earlier this week. His philosophy as an offshore sailor is to approach the race step by step, and he has now achieved the next milestone: the Equator.
In a video message shared from onboard as he moved out of the doldrums yesterday afternoon, Boris Herrmann outlined his strategy for the upcoming days and week: “As the leaders extend, they are benefiting from better wind sooner, but I can’t complain. We navigated through the doldrums quite well, and now we’re facing an interesting week ahead. A nice low is coming off from South America that we’ll ride in the South Atlantic towards Cape Town, and hopefully, we’ll do it in record time. But I need to sail at 100% or near that. If I go at 90%, I’ll miss that low. This will become clear in about five or six days if I miss it, and I would lose 1200 miles to those who capitalize on it. So, a significant split could occur in the race, making it crucial to find speed, wind, and get underway.”
The Malizia – Seaexplorer skipper continued: “The silver lining is if I can stay with this low, the others won’t pull too far ahead, because a high-pressure ridge lies ahead of the low. They can’t jump a system ahead. But we need to grab this system if it develops and if the others can catch it. So, I’m pushing a bit with the Code Zero and a bit more wind than usual for that sail, trying to get us moving in this choppy sea. It’s slamming, and the boat sometimes slows significantly, which I know from the many Transat Jacques Vabre races; this area can be bouncy and rough in the Atlantic. Two days like this are typical. Then, you might enjoy some of the best sailing in the upcoming days, with smooth seas and favorable breezes. Everything on board is good so far, and I’m in pursuit.”
Team Malizia’s mission, A Race We Must Win – Climate Action Now! is made possible through the strong and enduring commitment of its seven main partners: Schütz, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, and Hapag-Lloyd. These partners unite to support Team Malizia, each working on projects in their respective fields to innovate for climate solutions.
