Boris Hermann: "This experience will make me stronger"
It was a happy and relieved Boris Herrmann who visibly enjoyed his return up the Le Sables d’Olonne channel, who loved and cherished his reunion with his loved ones and his team. And facing the international media’s cameras and microphones, the German skipper talked about the hard times. His race did not go the way he had hoped but for sure he believes the experience will make him a stronger, more rounded, even more experienced sailor for his next races.
Vendée Globe :
How do you feel after more than 80 days of racing?
Well really I am just delighted to be here and quite relieved. It was quite an adventure! I feel like since Cape Horn, I've only been racing upwind sailing and dealing with technical problems. At that point it then became more of an adventure. The last few days I had 60 knots of wind, 10-metre waves at Cape Finisterre, a few breaking waves which knocked the boat over, a torn mainsail, all that with a damaged foil. In the end it was really very intense.
Vendée Globe :
How do you feel at end of your second consecutive Vendée Globe?
I'm very happy with my entire race, even the tough moments I've had. Above all the Vendée Globe is a race against ourselves. It's a mental challenge where you always have to overcome problems. And from that point of view, it went very well for me. I wasn't too stressed and even during the difficult times, I enjoyed myself. I'm convinced that this experience will help me for the future.
Vendée Globe :
When you were once in the running for 4th place is there not an element of frustration?
No, I am still very happy with my performance. It is an experience that will make me stronger for the next events. I have just spent three days in a gigantic storm. Before that I managed to find the resources to climb the mast….These are a lot of lessons that I hope to put into practice next time with a little more luck I hope!
Vendée Globe :
And how was this Vendée Globe for you, how did you experience it?
I had a lot of hard knocks, but it ultimately gave me confidence, because I always found solutions and I managed to make them work anyway. Every day during the Vendée Globe is different, every day is a surprise good or bad. It is the very nature of the adventure, to never know what’s going to happen next….
Vendée Globe :
How did you deal with your foil damage in the North Atlantic mentally?
I was awake when I heard the impact. At first, I didn't think it was that serious. I was surprised to see the mechanical consequences on the foil which had completely exploded. I tried to manage the situation by staying as calm as possible. The hardest thing to manage is the constant pressure of racing. But after the damage, the only concern I had was to bring the boat to the finish line safely. Repairing, being a bit of a technician, finding solutions, I enjoyed all of that. So as soon as the damage occurred, I changed my mindset to start a new fight.
Vendée Globe :
What do you think of today's boats, have they become too extreme?
I think we get accustomed to a lot of things. I don't think the machine surpasses the man. The question is how we experience it. Is life on board still acceptable, enjoyable? I remember that on board slower boats, I could write my log hand. Today, it’s impossible: even typing on a keyboard or a phone becomes too complicated, so we do voice messages. I’ve always liked dreaming, simply contemplating the sea. It’s true that this is less and less the case. And yes we fight a little with the machine, but it’s our choice. That’s what attracts us, to discover the full potential of the boat. It’s also inspiring to see the performance of the first to finish. When you do the math, after 64 days at sea, you realize that Charlie spent 16 days less than me being tossed around! Is it better? I don’t know. But with these speeds, we can avoid storms more easily. I think we shouldn’t slow down evolution, we need to move forward, encourage innovation and make these boats even more aggressive.
