Boris Herrmann's race against the elements: Cape Leeuwin in sight!

Boris Herrmann's race against the elements: Cape Leeuwin in sight!

The 10th edition of the Vendée Globe, the highly competitive single-handed regatta around the world, is gaining momentum. Late on Monday evening, December 16, 2024, Frenchman Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) is only two nautical miles behind leader Charlie Dalin (Macif Santé Prévoyance). Both sailors show impressive speed and confidence. “I am very happy with the decisions I made with the boat and my sails,” said Richomme, who is sure he will soon catch up with Dalin. As NDR reports, Richomme has consistently achieved higher speed than Dalin in recent days, giving him a potential advantage.

Pip Hare has to give up

A serious setback, however, for the British sailor Pip Hare, who suffered a broken mast on her yacht Medallia 800 nautical miles south of Australia. “This is the end of our Vendée Globe race in 2024,” she explained. Their drama received much sympathy from fellow sailors, including Boris Herrmann, who expressed his best wishes for the tough night. Herrmann is currently the fastest boat sailing at over 25 knots and has already passed Cape Leeuwin on December 12th. "It's a great success for Team Malizia to be here. I feel good," said the Hamburg resident, who is heading towards the next big Cape Horn and preparing for stormy winds that will come soon.

The competition is heating up as the leading group continues to be separated from the rest of the field in an area of ​​high pressure. Boris Herrmann, who is doing well with his Malizia - Seaexplorer despite being around 970 nautical miles behind the top, explained: “The further you advance, the better the conditions you have.” It remains exciting to see which sailor can prevail in the stormy days ahead. The weather situation in particular will be crucial for the skippers' upcoming decisions, as well as both NDR as well as yacht report.