Boris Herrmann embarks on Atlantic conquest aboard Malizia 4
The skipper of Team Malizia sets forth from Saint Malo on a 3,542 nautical mile voyage across the Atlantic, navigating the storied Route du Rhum in his most ambitious solo endeavour yet.
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The Route du Rhum holds a particular place in the annals of ocean racing. Contested biannually since 1978, this demanding single handed passage from Saint Malo to Guadeloupe has become one of sailing’s most celebrated and rigorous trials, a race that demands not merely technical prowess but an almost romantic commitment to solitude and endurance across thousands of miles of open Atlantic.
For Boris Herrmann, whose name has become synonymous with excellence in competitive sailing, the November departure marks a singular moment in his competitive journey. This third outing in the Route du Rhum represents something altogether distinct from his previous editions of the race: his maiden solo voyage aboard the new IMOCA Malizia 4, a vessel engineered to the exacting specifications of modern ocean racing.
The distance that awaits him is formidable. Across 3,542 nautical miles of Atlantic expanse, from the Breton coast to the Caribbean’s welcoming shores at Pointe à Pitre, Herrmann will navigate not merely against competing yachts but against the ocean’s own considerable temperament. The IMOCA class represents the pinnacle of monohull racing design, and in the new Malizia 4, Herrmann possesses an instrument of considerable sophistication and performance, refined through meticulous preparation and the collective expertise of Team Malizia.
What distinguishes this particular challenge is its character as a true test of seamanship and sailing acumen. Unlike fleet races that offer the stimulus of immediate competition, the Route du Rhum places the sailor fundamentally alone with the elements and the demands of continuous self sufficiency. It is this solitary dimension that has long drawn navigators of substance to the race, and why the Route du Rhum endures as a cherished milestone in the careers of those who take it seriously.
Herrmann’s participation in this 13th edition of the race embodies a continuity of ambition within the Team Malizia programme. The organisation has established itself as a custodian of serious ocean racing, and in supporting Herrmann’s endeavour, it upholds a tradition that extends back through decades of memorable passages and remarkable achievements.
The departure on Sunday 1 November from Saint Malo will commence a voyage that demands all of a sailor’s reserves of technical knowledge, physical resilience and mental fortitude. For Herrmann, the Malizia 4 awaits as both instrument and companion across those thousands of miles ahead.
Imagery courtesy of Yacht Club de Monaco (@yachtclubmonaco).