Boris Herrmann will be back as skipper of Team Malizia for Leg 3 of The Ocean Race 2022-23, following a burn injury he sustained from Leg 1 to Cabo Verde.
“I went to a burns specialist who had a very special treatment approach that is different from what most people would experience in Germany or anywhere in Europe,” he says. “It’s a more advanced and modern treatment that has worked well for me.”
Getting burned is an ever-present risk while handling boiling water and pouring it for making hot drinks or rehydrating freeze-dried food. Herrmann admitted he was the problem rather than any shortcomings in the cooking equipment.
“It was me being stupid,” he says. “We are making some modifications which will be ready before the start of this leg so as to make it [the cooking equipment] as safe as it can be. We just put our freeze-dried food under the valve and open the valve, which means we don't need to move the pot with the hot water.”
The team has put aside enough food for 40 days of sailing. “It’s actually 36 full days and then a bit extra, so that when we see an immediate need we have a little bit of margin in our every-day bags. On the last leg the team found they were able to stretch some days in between, which means you always have some left over. This would be enough for the last four days or so you might need if the race is slower than expected.”
‘We have a strong team, a strong boat for this next leg and really I think we have a lot of potential’
Herrmann’s return to the boat means that British crewman Will Harris steps back from the temporary skipper’s role he held for Leg 2. It won’t change the day-to-day much on board Malizia, however, says Harris. The routine will remain the routine.
“Everyone's involved in every decision, whether it be a tactical discussion or whether it be safety, whether it be fixing the boat,” Harris says. “It was a great experience for me to be skipper on the last leg. I think I learned a lot and it made me appreciate the responsibilities that Boris has being the skipper on this boat. It’s nice to learn what’s involved in the role, and now on this next leg hopefully I can apply the knowledge
“My goal is to be a useful asset to the team. We all feel like we’ve all found our niches. We’ve bonded as a team and we have found our cogs in the clock. We have a strong team, a strong boat for this next leg and really I think we have a lot of potential for the next leg. I’m really enjoying the close racing in the fleet and pushing these boats hard in all conditions, that’s what I’m looking forward to getting back to in a few days.”
Herrmann shares Harris’s optimism: “I’m looking forward to the leg because I really feel that we could perform very well. It’s not very often that you have a programme in place, where the conditions seem to be aligning well for our strengths.
“Of course you can never be certain of the wind, if some high pressure system comes in as we sail out of Cape Town. But we’re expecting strong winds as we get into the leg and I think we are well prepared for that.
“Going around Cape Horn will be one of the great moments of the race. It’s such a cool landmark that I hope we can see it when we go past and be in a good place [in the race] at the same time.”
Biotherm racing at full sail | Credit: Anne Beauge/Biotherm
In other news, 11th Hour Racing Team’s request for a foil change after discovering serious damage during maintenance in Cape Town last week was approved by race officials.
And Biotherm skipper Paul Meilhat is adding Sam Davies to his team for Leg 3, the longest leg in the 50-year history of The Ocean Race, which begins in Cape Town this weekend following the In-Port Race on Friday (24 February).
He says experience is critical for what he views as a challenging leg: “We are really happy to have Sam Davies on the boat, joining in Cape Town. She has a lot of experience, she has crossed Cape Horn many times. Biotherm is a new boat, so it’s going to bring some confidence.
“This race will be hard because it’s quite long and you have many parts. You have Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and after Cape Horn it’s not finished because it’s quite tricky with the forecast.”
Speaking to Eurosport, for which she is a regular contributor, Davies says: “It is incredible to be able to participate in something that has never been done before.
“That’s what made me want to come. It’s a challenge to be able to set off into the unknown, because if you know this journey through the Vendee Globe, it will be nothing like it.”
Eurosport has more on the story HERE.
