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Yacht Class n°39 (dec 2024/jan-feb 2025)
Team malizia seaexplorer
The German skipper Boris Herrmann set off on 10th November for his second Vendée Globe in the hope of erasing the disappointment of the last edition. Provided he can overcome adversity… and 39 rivals.
Written by : Christophe Varène – Photos : Marie Lefloch / Ricardo Pinto / Jean-Marie Liot / PolaRYSE / Team Malizia
Will the second attempt be the right one? Four years ago, Boris Herrmann came within a whisker of winning the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe – or rather, collided head-on with a trawler less than 100 miles from the finish. However, the fine fifth place he achieved at the time enabled us to get to know this German sailor, who has sailed an exemplary race: never far from the front, he has taken great care of his boat, Malizia-Seaexplorer and himself to complete his circumnavigation of the globe with flying colours. His experience of the southern seas, including his participation in the Barcelona World Race and the Ocean Race, is one of his major assets, as is his boat that he has had built to his own exacting standards: perhaps less aesthetically pleasing than those of some of his rivals, his IMOCA meets his criteria and requirements, such as a living area with a high headroom and a hull adapted to rough seas with a curved bow and substantial freeboard. But he is up against 39 competitors, men and women, talented, motivated and ready to live this adventure without restraint. Around ten sailors, including Boris Herrmann, make up the group of favourites, yet on this event that is so hard, so demanding, so long, all the racers have their chance, whether they are newcomers – there are fifteen of them setting off for the first time, including Violette Dorange, the youngest entrant in the race – or experienced sailors like Jean Le Cam (6th entry), Arnaud Boissières (5th entry and no retirements) or Jérémie Beyou (5th entry). They may be on new boats (13) or old ones, foils (25) or daggerboards (15).
The Vendée Globe in figures
13 New boats built especially for this demanding race. The IMOCA boats are built to a set of rules, including an overall length of 20.12 metres, a beam of 5.85 metres and an air draught of 29 metres.
40 Competitors, including 6 women and 15 rookies.
74 Days 3 hours 35 minutes and 46 seconds, the record to be beaten set by Armel Le Cléac’h in 2017.
3 capes to round to complete the course: Good Hope in the south of Africa, Leeuwin at the south-eastern tip of Australia and Horn at the tip of Tierra del Fuego in South America.
2 600 Km, the distance to the nearest land to Point Nemo, the most isolated geographical point in the heart of the Indian Ocean.
24 500 Nautical miles, or 45,000 kilometres, to complete this circumnavigation.
1 woman or man: alone, a boat, a non-stop round-the-world race without assistance.
23 The youngest, Violette Dorange, is 23, while the oldest, Jean Le Cam, is 65.
10 Nationalities: France (27), New Zealand (1), United Kingdom (3), Germany (2), Switzerland (3), Italy (1), Japan (1), Belgium (1), Hungary (1), China (1). The sailor Isabelle Joschke holds dual Franco-German nationality.
