Team Malizia's Boris Herrmann is off to New York City in Transat CIC Solo Race
by Team Malizia 28 Apr 2024 17:09 BST
28 April 2024
Boris Herrmann is off to New York City in Transat CIC solo race © Marie Lefloch / Team Malizia
This Sunday afternoon, Boris Herrmann, skipper of Team Malizia, embarked on the Transat CIC solo challenge across the North Atlantic. Racing against 32 IMOCA competitors from Lorient to New York, the German skipper is back in solo racing mode and has fulfilled his Vendée Globe qualification.
Team Malizia's skipper Boris Herrmann has set course to New York City after crossing the start line of The Transat CIC solo race on Sunday 28 April 2024 at 13:30 local time (CEST). Renowned for its meteorological and maritime challenges, the race marks the first out of two transatlantic crossings this spring before the Vendée Globe. Spanning a route of 3,500 nautical miles from Lorient, France, to New York, USA, it features a fleet of 33 IMOCA boats competing across the North Atlantic.
"I'm happy with the start", remarked the Malizia - Seaexplorer skipper in an onboard video he sent soon after crossing the start line and thereby validating his Vendée Globe qualification. "It's a really nice feeling to begin a race in our home waters! Being accompanied by dolphins adds to the joy. Our boat is in top condition, many thanks to the team for the great preparation!"
Equipped with new foils, improved ergonomics aboard his IMOCA race yacht, and the strong desire to log solo miles once more, Boris Herrmann is ready to confront the difficult conditions of the North Atlantic. "I'm feeling really good today," stated the German offshore sailor on the dock this Sunday morning. "I'm eager to set sail again, though I must admit, there's a mixture of respect, a bit of fear and excitement, knowing that the North Atlantic can be quite rough." He added: "We expect some large low-pressure systems and fronts... But today, we have a light wind situation at the start. It's only from tomorrow onward that it will get windy and then we'll really be out on the open sea."
When asked about his preparation in the days leading up to the race, the Team Malizia skipper noted: "You always feel a bit of tension in the days before the start, it's impossible to get rid of that. Over the last two days, we've been checking the weather and had various weather and safety briefings. Additionally, I tried to get a bit of extra sleep and relax. I also went for a wing foil session and a run to activate my body"
The fleet of 48 boats (33 IMOCA, 13 Class40, 2 Vintage) set sail in 12 to 13 knots of wind under sunny skies,a welcome departure from the challenging autumn weather conditions typical of previous transatlantic races starting from France. "However, the very light winds create an unstable situation", explained Boris Herrmann. Shortly after the start line, the fleet had to round a mark southeast of the island of Groix near Lorient before heading northwest. "Navigating along the coast will require considerable focus and energy. Into the evening, we anticipate northwest winds and, therefore, we'll try to position ourselves as far to the right of the fleet as possible on the way northwest. That entails sailing close to the coast while remaining vigilant for rocks and fishing pots."
The Team Malizia skipper added: "Then, we'll hopefully get this wind shift with the northwest wind and sail towards Ireland. This evening, between 6:00 p.m. and midnight, we'll eventually turn northwest on port tack. We will decide whether to skim along the Fastnet Rock or maybe even sail through the Raz du Sein, or go further offshore. The final third of the race restricts us to small manoeuvres along the exclusion zone, set in place for marine mammal protection and to stay clear from the ice. With no foreseeable major strategic options, the biggest strategic decision might be tonight, twelve hours post-start, which puts a bit of pressure on us."
Despite the pressure, the Team Malizia skipper appeared relaxed and eager to return to solo race mode as he left the pontoon of La Base harbour, waving to team members and fans. "I'm looking forward to rediscovering the North Atlantic, which holds many fond memories", said Boris Herrmann. "I did many passages with Giovanni Soldini, with Greta Thunberg for the last time, and also from West to East last year during The Ocean Race. I hope to arrive in the iconic city of New York, which I love, feeling confident and having enjoyed this challenging race along the Great Banks and in the cold waters of the North Atlantic."
With the onboard camera streaming, fans enjoyed 1.5 hours of live action in the Malizia - Seaexplorer cockpit. As the countdown to 13:30 local time approached, Boris Herrmann bid farewell to his shore crew, with co-skipper Will Harris stepping off the IMOCA at the last moment. Boris Herrmann maintained focus, ensuring enough distance between himself and the other boats. He then prepared for his first tack around the mark southeast of Groix, before setting course northwest and soon towards New York City, in a race expected to last 8 to 11 days.
Team Malizia's A Race We Must Win - Climate Action Now! mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its seven main partners: Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, the Yacht Club de Monaco, and EFG International. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions.