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Around the world in 80 days: Boris Herrmann finishes his second Vendée Globe

Sponsorships • Sailing

2 min read

Around the world in 80 days: Boris Herrmann finishes his second Vendée Globe

The 2024/25 Vendée Globe has captivated audiences around the world with its tales of immense mental strength and determination. After racing 29,201 nautical miles, Team Malizia’s skipper Boris Herrmann crossed the finish line in 12th position on 29 January 2025, after 80 days, 10 hours and 16 minutes at sea. It is an extraordinary achievement and his inspiring story is one of resilience, ingenuity and courage in the face of adversity.

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The Vendée Globe is a non-stop, non-assisted race around the world and for our partners Team Malizia and Boris Herrmann, the approach to the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne proved to be one of the most challenging moments of the entire race. Boris’s progress was impacted by a combination of huge storms, damaged electronics, a broken foil, and right at the end, a ripped sail. Due to the extreme weather conditions, after months at sea, he had to wait patiently offshore until 30 January before he could experience the iconic channel passage and ‘homecoming’ reunion with his team, family and friends.

Once back on dry land, an emotional Boris Herrmann said: “I feel great and relieved, and I am very happy! There are things I will miss, the incredible beauty of nature. But I was especially looking forward to those emotional moments of arrival, most of all to returning to the world, seeing people again, and reuniting with friends and family.” You can see just what it meant to him in this moving video:
 

The 10th edition of the Vendée Globe broke the record books. An exceptionally competitive field of 40 boats started the race on 10 November 2024, including a large contingent of international entries. Ultimately, it was the French who claimed all three podium positions. Charlie Dalin won the race on 14 January 2025, finishing in 64 days and breaking the previous race record by nearly ten days. A day later, Yoann Richomme secured second place on his race debut. Sébastien Simon completed the podium, having set a new solo 24-hour speed record along the way.

Throughout the race, the competition for a spot in the top ten was intense, and as the fleet grappled with unpredictable weather conditions, the rankings were frequently determined by the narrowest of margins. For over three quarters of the race, it was relatively plain sailing for Boris, and he was a contender for a position in the top five. However, in a short space of time he faced a series of unforeseen incidents that forced him to re-evaluate his strategy and adjust his race expectations.

Boris had to overcome his fear of heights to carry out an emergency mast repair. Then, in weather and sea conditions that he described as some the most extraordinary of his sailing career, a freak lightning strike damaged several crucial electrical components on board. This was followed by a broken hook on his primary headsail, the J2, requiring yet another ascent of the mast. Just as he had got back into racing mode and crossed the equator into the Northern Hemisphere, he reported severe damage to the port foil of the boat after colliding with an unidentified object in the ocean.

While the skippers are often the ones in the spotlight, the Vendée Globe is a testament to the power of teamwork. Bolstered by the enduring practical and moral support of Team Malizia, Boris was able to restore the most vital systems, repair the headsail, and secure the damaged foil enough to resume racing, albeit at a slower pace, which ultimately impacted his position in the rankings.

The toughness of the Vendée Globe is what sets it apart it as one of the greatest sporting challenges of our time. It is not merely a test of skill and sailing experience; it also demands immense emotional and psychological strength. Ahead of any race, Team Malizia’s mantra is always “to finish first, first you have to finish,” and whilst all the skippers in this highly competitive fleet naturally want to win, success is also defined by how they navigate the landscape, manage setbacks, and change tack when necessary. Despite all the challenges thrown at him, Boris Herrmann maintained a positive mindset. With at least another week at sea stretching ahead, he was determined to make across the finish line and his focus shifted to getting back home safely. Reflecting on this period, he said “what’s great about the Vendée Globe is how you dig deep and find new inner resources. By confronting complex challenges, you discover surprising things about yourself”.

Team Malizia and Boris Herrmann’s commitment to a greater cause propels them forward during the most challenging times. Their mission, “A Race We Must Win,” serves a dual purpose: to compete in some of the world’s most prestigious sailing races and, on a bigger scale, to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect the oceans and find solutions to the climate crisis. The Vendée Globe route takes in some of the planet’s most remote and inaccessible regions, and in this edition of the race, 25 sailors are carrying scientific measuring instruments designed to collect this valuable data. The Vendée Globe is Boris Herrmann’s second solo circumnavigation of the world and Team Malizia’s third, and the invaluable data gathered from each race is freely shared with a dedicated team of scientists, who use it to study the ocean's role in climate change and monitor its overall health.

Technical advancements in the world of sailing have not only led to record breaking race speeds, but also facilitated more open and frequent communication with the outside world. This enhanced connectivity allows the skippers to share their personal stories more vividly in real time, making the race so compelling to follow. Before the start, Boris was very candid about the mental strain of being alone for months, however, as he pointed out in the early stages of the race, “I’m alone, but I’m not really alone.” His natural ability to communicate in such an honest and authentic way has given us a valuable insight into what it means to take on a challenge of this nature.

EFG’s long-standing partnership with Team Malizia and Boris Herrmann reflects a commitment that runs from the highest level of competitive sailing to clubs, and the important role they play in supporting the next generation of talent. As we witnessed during the Vendée Globe, sailing requires strength of character, teamwork, and the skilful navigation of a constantly changing environment, all qualities we admire and aspire to share. Boris Herrmann’s resilience and determination to finish the race, come what may, coupled with his unwavering spirit of optimism are an inspiration. It has been a privilege to share this remarkable journey with him and Team Malizia.

After a well-deserved rest, Team Malizia’s next big challenge is The Ocean Race Europe which starts on 10 August 2025 in Kiel, Germany and includes stopovers in Portsmouth, UK; Cartagena, Spain and Genova, Italy before finishing in Boka Bay, Montenegro.
 

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