Boris Herrmann has delivered the best Route du Rhum result of his career, finishing second in the IMOCA class after crossing the line in Pointe-à-Pitre aboard his new boat, Malizia 4.
The German skipper crossed at 4.10am local time (8.10am Paris time) on Thursday, completing the course in 10 days, 20 hours, 48 minutes and 36 seconds. It was only the second transatlantic race for Malizia 4, which was launched in July.
Herrmann covered 3887 miles at an average real speed of 14.94 knots, finishing 1 day, 2 hours and 56 minutes behind the class winner.
This was his third Route du Rhum, following a fifth place in 2018 and a disappointing 24th in 2022. The podium finish marks a significant step up.
Herrmann spent most of the race near the front of the fleet. He held second place as early as day three, won a tense mid-Atlantic duel with Franco-British sailor Sam Goodchild, then defended that runner-up spot all the way to Guadeloupe.
It extends a strong run of form for the Malizia skipper, who was also second at The Transat CIC and second at the New York Vendée-Les Sables d'Olonne. The result also underlines the pace of Malizia 4, a new-generation IMOCA designed in collaboration with Antoine Koch. It is a sister-ship to the boats raced by Thomas Ruyant (TR Racing) and Loïs Berrehar (Banque Populaire 14), and had already shown promise during The Ocean Race Atlantic in September.
Herrmann has been a fixture at the top of the IMOCA class since 2017. Before that, he raced Olympic dinghies and the Mini-Transat, and won a round-the-world title in Class40 during the 2008 Global Ocean Race.
Raised in northern Germany, he developed an early fascination with French offshore racing. Founding the Malizia team with Pierre Casiraghi under the Yacht Club de Monaco, the pair built the campaign into one of the leading forces in IMOCA. Herrmann finished fifth in the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe and third in The Ocean Race in 2023.
His next target is The Ocean Race, which starts in January.
Speaking on the dock after finishing, Herrmann said: "I'm really happy, and especially happy with my team, with the experience of Pifou (Pierre-François Dargnies) in particular, they have so much experience. Everyone always has small problems, even in the big teams, I had nothing, the boat is absolutely perfect."
"It's probably my most assured transat. I was happy on the boat and I sailed with a clear head, it was very enjoyable. It was my 25th transat!"
"The boat is harder to sail downwind than my old Malizia, which I'm still happy to have beaten, even though Francesca sailed very well. On a reach it sails higher than the Verdier designs, which skim and are probably easier to sail at good average speeds."
