Some attack the leaders, others have heralded their comeback: Boris Herrmann’s team Malizia continues to attack the leading team Holcim-PRB on the king’s stage in the Ocean Race. On the 18th day at sea, the German “Malizia – Seaexplorer” moved closer to the stern of the previously dominant Swiss yacht. Only 34 nautical miles separated the two top boats on Thursday afternoon. Regarding the prospects for the coming days, “Holcim PRB” skipper Kevin Escoffier said: “We will pass through a light wind zone and then probably approach the ice line.” The field still has about 3,500 nautical miles to master before Cape Horn.
“I built the boat for the south,” said 41-year-old Herrmann recently. The idea of the hamburger has now proven itself. Its robust look and the voluminous bow made the “Malizia – Seaexplorer” look bulky compared to the competition. The deckhouse of the 28 meter long foiler has standing height, while the competition has to move and work bent over at only 1.45 meters.
While the teams in the Southern Ocean are now pushing east, Team Guyot has the Atlantic ahead to the west. The transfer crew of the German-French team left Cape Town on Thursday with the hull repaired. The destination is the Brazilian stage port of Itajai, where the team intends to return to the fourth leg of the Ocean Race on April 23rd.
Berlin’s Philipp Kasüske is present at the transfer. Co-skipper Robert Stanjek will travel to Brazil at the end of the second week of April. Stanjek said about his team’s prospects after the end of the queen’s stage: “In theory, anything is still possible. We are very motivated. Probably even more than before.”
On the fringes of the Ocean Race, it was announced on Thursday that Boris Herrmann’s Vendée Globe premiere 2020/21 will be filmed by German producer and actor Ben Blaskovic. Blaskovich said: “Since I’ve been a passionate sailor myself since I was a child, I’m particularly pleased to be able to film Boris Herrmann’s hero’s journey as a fictional feature film.”
