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Boris Herrmann

We compete on the highest level in the toughest races, inspire action & create awareness and highlight solutions to the climate crisis.

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The IMOCA fleet at the beginning of Leg 7 in The Hague

The IMOCA fleet at the beginning of Leg 7 in The Hague © Sailing Energy / The Ocean Race

 which sees them sail to Genova, Italy in the 

 of the race. The day had started nicely, with the Dutch crowds chanting Rosie’s name and waving off the IMOCA fleet one more time before the boats started racing in the two-lap inshore section at the beginning of the 

Team Malizia’s crew composed of skipper 

 was off to a good start. The team was third over the line to the windward side and racing towards mark 1 behind Team Holcim-PRB in first and 11th Hour Racing in second position. In 15 to 18 knots of wind and sunny weather, the boats were 

 at about 20 knots of speed. GUYOT environnement - Team Europe, which was in fourth place, overtook

 on the inside at mark 2. The first three boats managed to extend the gap to Team Malizia in fourth and Biotherm in fifth position as they raced towards the third mark. 

Towards the end of the first lap, the day took a 

 was reported from onboard but both boats were forced to head back to the harbour to 

 caused by the collision and what these will mean for the race. With the other three boats, the 

 finishing the inshore course. Team Holcim-PRB was first to clear the leaving gate, with Team Malizia in second position, and Biotherm in third place.

These three boats are now racing towards Genova in a 

complex leg with various weather challenges and strategic situations

 to manage. Leaving The Hague, they will have to slalom between many commercial ships and exclusion zones put in place due to wind farms or oil rigs in the area. In The English Channel, they will face strong tides in the summer high-pressure situation and a dangerous rocky coastline. Into the Atlantic, they will sail across the Bay of Biscay known for stormy conditions.

“Down along the coastline of Portugal, the boats could be in for some fast offshore and downwind sailing before reaching the Gibraltar Strait which will likely be tricky to manage”, explained navigator 

 earlier today. Entering the Mediterranean Sea and sailing past Alicante, Spain, where the race started six months prior, the IMOCA fleet could face a slowdown. “The Mediterranean can be quite unpredictable, so we will have to wait and see”, commented the 

 by the collision and the damages suffered by 11th Hour Racing Team and GUYOT environnement - Team Europe. Obviously, one doesn’t wish to see such a start or competitors go through something like this. Team Malizia 

 for any repair work they need to do, and hopes that all the teams will be able to 

A Race We Must Win – Climate Action Now!

 mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its 

: MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, the Yacht Club de Monaco, EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, and Kuehne+Nagel. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions. 

Co-skipper Will Harris on the deck of Malizia - Seaexplorer

The IMOCA boats racing before the day took a dramatic turn of events

In-Port Series scoreboard after The Hague’s In-Port Race

Team Malizia rounding a mark in The Hague at the beginning of Leg 7 of The Ocean Race

Team Malizia is on its way in the final leg of The Ocean Race, having departed this Thursday afternoon at 18:15 local time from The Hague, Netherlands. In a dramatic turn of events, GUYOT environnement - Team Europe and 11th Hour Racing Team collided during the inshore course at the beginning of the leg, causing significant damage to both boats. The other three boats continued racing towards Genova, Italy, in a leg expected to last 10 to 12 days.