Route du Rhum 2026 Boris Herrmann second place, Digi Mart USA News: Boris Herrmann remains in second place in the transatlantic Route du Rhum race from France to Guadeloupe with his new Imoca yacht Malizia 4, and he has picked up speed again. The Hamburg sailor had a difficult night, however.
On Thursday he left behind the light-wind zone that had slowed many of the solo sailors, and he is closing in on Corentin Horeau (MACSF), who is still well ahead, sailing at nearly 25 knots. As the leader of the chasing group, Herrmann has significantly reduced the gap to the Frenchman, who had at one point built a lead of 230 nautical miles.
At midday Thursday, the gap stood at just over 180 nautical miles.
“Of course I enjoy the race even more when I am well positioned, and when the boat works like it does now, it is a joy,” said the 45-year-old. But the Malizia skipper had a hard night.
“I slept very little. I had to get through the transition, through the center of the low-pressure system.
I am completely exhausted. I can’t remember the last time I was this tired,” he said.
He described a series of maneuvers. “The wind suddenly dropped to three knots.
I didn’t know what to make of it at first. So I put the full mainsail and J2 back up, and then, completely unexpectedly, the wind came back.” He also said he was dealing with “terrible sea conditions.”
Horeau, at the front, also struggled during the night. He was hit by a strong gust with winds of up to 40 knots but came through unscathed: “Fortunately, nothing broke.”
Allagrande-Mapei skipper Ambrogio Beccarai fell in his cockpit on Thursday evening in heavy seas and is now heading for the Azores.
Can Herrmann still catch the Frenchman? “You should never say never, but he is sailing quite fast, and his average is higher than mine,” the Hamburg sailor said.
“Perhaps I can be a bit faster at a later point, but at the moment the conditions do not allow it.”
That could change soon. In the coming days the fleet is expected to be carried quickly southwest toward the finish in the Caribbean by a low-pressure system.
“We still have a few transitions and a large low-pressure area ahead. Some routes show wind speeds of up to 50 knots.
That is much more demanding than the Route du Rhum usually is, where by now you are normally in the trade winds,” Herrmann explained.
Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing), sailing Herrmann’s predecessor yacht Malizia 3, remains in third place, 40 nautical miles behind the Oldenburg-born skipper. She is now also picking up speed, and the race between the two “Malizias” is expected to stay exciting.
Favorite Sam Goodchild (Macif) is currently in fourth place.
Herrmann is very happy with the Malizia 4: “The best news? The Malizia 4 is doing wonderfully!” the 45-year-old wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.
“Everything works perfectly. It is a real pleasure to sail this boat!” Just perhaps not last night…
Live tracking, updates and background on the legendary transatlantic race from France to Guadeloupe are available in NDR.de’s news blog.
Weather conditions are making the sailing race a grab bag at the moment. Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann seems to have the right instincts, while breakages and capsizes are piling up.
The race runs from France to Guadeloupe. Also taking part is Hamburg-born circumnavigator Boris Herrmann with his new Malizia 4.
