Boris Herrmann has made it onto the podium. The Yacht Club de Monaco member crossed the finish line of the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe at 04:10 local time to secure 2nd place in the IMOCA group after 10 days 20 hours 8 minutes 36 seconds of racing. After a tricky 3,887 nautical miles from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre at an average speed of 14.94 knots, it was his best result in the Route du Rhum after coming 5th in 2018 and 24th in 2022. And it resulted in a podium finish for his first solo transatlantic crossing on Malizia 4 which was only launched in July. A result praised by Yacht Club de Monaco President HSH Prince Albert II: “I am pleased and delighted for him, for the Yacht Club and Monaco. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday with Pierre Casiraghi and he was relaxed and confident. It was a fine performance”. He finished behind Corentin Horeau (MACSF) who won this edition on his first attempt in 9 days 17 hours 12 minutes 9 seconds.
A race dictated by the weather
After crossing the start line in Saint-Malo on 1st November in a light 8-knot breeze, Boris Herrmann had rounded the Cap Fréhel mark in fifth position around 90 minutes later. For the 22 IMOCAs competing, the ocean crossing ahead would soon defy all normal forecasts.
Conditions rapidly complicated the race. Trade winds that are usually well-established at this time of year were disrupted by an unusual low pressure system in the Atlantic. By the third day, Corentin Horeau had taken the lead thanks to a strategic choice that saw him break away from an area of light winds. Further south, Boris Herrmann was also attempting to circumvent the system to find better wind.
Along with Sam Goodchild (Macif Santé Prévoyance) and Élodie Bonafous (Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner), Boris had to contend with a nearly stationary tropical depression north of the Caribbean. After sailing close to its centre, the three boats found more consistent north-westerlies that allowed them to pick up speed downwind towards Guadeloupe. The next challenge was approaching the Antilles where trade winds were again slow to fill in. A vast area of light winds threatened to slow the pursuers and narrow the gaps between boats.
Malizia 4 passes first major solo test
Just four months after its launch in Lorient and Malizia 4 has clinched a superb 2nd place in a major offshore race. Team Malizia’s new IMOCA had already crossed the Atlantic twice, having competed in The Ocean Race Atlantic with crew. The question remained as to how it would perform with only one sailor on board.
Making the podium more than justifies the hard work put in for two years of design and build of Malizia 4. For Pierre Casiraghi, YCM Vice-President and cofounder of Team Malizia alongside Boris Herrmann, the result is all the more encouraging as it is early days for this race boat. “We are very proud of Boris and all the team. To finish second in the Route du Rhum on a boat launched just four months ago is a great achievement. This race was an important test for Malizia 4 in terms of reliability and suitability to be sailed solo in such varied conditions. It is particularly encouraging with The Ocean Race, our next big event, just weeks away”.
Second place before reuniting with the crew
Before the start Boris had stated his aim was to be in the top six. He was well aware that several of his rivals had had two years to prepare for the 13th Route du Rhum, while his programme revolved around launch of Malizia 4 and its first major race with crew. On his arrival the skipper for whom this was his 25th transatlantic made no secret of his satisfaction, describing the trip as “very intense and atypical for a Route du Rhum, given the absence of the trade winds. It is certainly my most accomplished transatlantic crossing to date”. Above all, however, it was the performance of Malizia 4 that stood out for him. “This new boat is versatile; it performs well upwind and downwind. It is more challenging to handle downwind than my previous Malizia. When reaching, it sails at a higher angle than the Verdier-design boats which rely on skimming and are for sure easier to sail at consistently high average speeds”.
No sooner are they back on land and Team Malizia swings into action again. The crew is set to join the boat in Guadeloupe for a training delivery voyage to Alicante, where preparations will continue for The Ocean Race Round the World 2027 that starts 17 January 2027. After more than 10 days alone at sea, Boris Herrmann will be reunited with his crew having gained valuable insights into how his new IMOCA performs, and made it on to the podium, adding another focus to the project’s upcoming milestones.
