Malizia-Seaexplorer competing in Vendée Globe under Monaco flag
TURIN, Italy, Nov. 05, 2024 – Everything’s ready for the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe, the single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted round-the-world sailing race that takes place every four years since 1989. Forty sailors will set out on November 10th from Les Sables-d’Olonne, in France, and among them there will be Boris Herrmann, member of Yacht Club de Monaco. The German sailor is participating in this epic 24,300 nautical mile (45,000km) race aboard the Monaco-flagged IMOCA Malizia-Seaexplorer. Winner of the IMOCA 2018/2020 Championship and 5th in the previous Vendée Globe (in 80 days 15 hours 59 minutes 45 seconds), Herrmann is one of the favourites to win this edition.
At the start to encourage him will be HSH Prince Albert II, YCM President, Pierre Casiraghi, YCM Vice-President and founder of Team Malizia, and Bernard d’Alessandri, the Club’s General Secretary.
“The sea is deeply rooted in the DNA of the Principality of Monaco. Following in the footsteps of Prince Albert I, we are perpetuating this unique relationship between Monaco and the ocean. Through exceptional adventures such as the one that Boris Herrmann is about to embark on with boldness and courage, we are also spreading my Foundation’s message in favour of the preservation of the oceans, to remind us of the importance of protecting this universal heritage”, said HSH Prince Albert II.
Over half the fleet is collaborating on a scientific project that will make a significant contribution to enriching science databases in the little-frequented areas of the Southern Ocean along the route. It is being done through the new Vendée Globe endowment fund of which HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco is Honorary President. For his part, Boris Herrmann will have the OceanPack on board, a tool to take water samples to measure salinity, temperature, oxygen and CO2 content. He is also one of eight skippers who will have a weather buoy weighing 20kg measuring atmospheric pressure, temperature and surface current.
After 45,000 construction hours, the new Malizia-Seaexplorer was launched in July 2022. Pierre Casiraghi explained: “We’ve designed a boat capable of maintaining high average speeds in difficult sea conditions. We chose softer hull lines and a curved bow, while reinforcing the robustness of the boat and rethinking both the ergonomics and living area”. With 270m2 of sail upwind and 550m2 downwind, the 60-footer has already completed nearly three round-the-worlds solo, double-handed and crewed.
As part of its collective Monaco Capital of Advanced Yachting approach, that promotes innovation in yachting and inspires yacht-related vocations among the young, this round-the world will be followed live by YCM sailors and Monegasque supporters of Team Malizia. “The Vendée Globe is a unique opportunity for our young people to get involved in an incredible adventure at sea, a chance to analyse Boris’s tactical choices and to live their dream of sailing. By passing on values such as fighting spirit and perseverance we are inspiring them to pursue their own sporting ambitions,” explained Bernard d’Alessandri.
