German offshore sailor Boris Herrmann is preparing for his first solo race aboard the new IMOCA Malizia 4 in Sunday's Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, as an unusual Atlantic weather pattern could push the fleet south of Ireland and Fastnet Rock.
The 13th edition of the solo transatlantic classic starts from Saint-Malo on 1 November at 13:02 local time (12:02 UTC), with 115 skippers racing towards Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, over a theoretical 3,542-nautical-mile course.
Herrmann, the fleet's only German skipper, is making his third appearance in the race. His latest IMOCA was launched in July and has already completed a programme of testing and crewed racing as Team Malizia prepares for The Ocean Race in 2027.
Unusual Weather Could Bring Fleet Towards Ireland
Team Malizia co-skipper Will Harris says the absence of the usual easterly trade winds south of the Canaries may make a traditional southerly Atlantic route unattractive.
Atlantic Speed – Boris Herrmann's new IMOCA Malizia 4 powers along on her foils during offshore training ahead of the Route du Rhum. The German skipper faces a 3,542-nautical-mile solo transatlantic challenge, with unusual weather patterns potentially bringing the fleet south of Ireland and Fastnet Rock. Photo: Mailizia
“Rather than heading into the Bay of Biscay or sailing close to Ushant, the fleet is more likely to take a more direct route than usual and head north initially, towards the Scilly Islands and Ireland,” Harris said.
“We will likely see the boats sail downwind in easterly winds after the start, south of Fastnet Rock, before gybing and heading north of the Azores, sailing round the other side of the low and high pressure systems.”
The forecast is provisional, and individual skippers will make their own routing decisions as the weather develops. Harris warned that the second half of the crossing could feature a mixture of upwind, downwind and reaching conditions, with the possibility of a slowdown approaching the Caribbean.
First Solo Test for Malizia 4
Herrmann faces 21 rivals in the IMOCA division, including Sébastien Simon aboard the newly built Groupe Dubreuil – Air Caraïbes, Jérémie Beyou on Charal, Sam Goodchild on Macif – Santé Prévoyance and Ambrogio Beccaria on Allagrande MAPEI.
Francesca Clapcich is also competing aboard the former Malizia – Seaexplorer, now campaigned as Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing. Afloat has previously covered Herrmann's earlier Malizia IMOCA campaign and Team Malizia's 2026 Atlantic racing programme.
“Our main objective has always been The Ocean Race, and that was a clear choice to honour the team and the objectives we set four years ago,” Herrmann said. “The boat I have is amazing, even if she’s currently not particularly optimised for solo sailing. But I am excited to give it 100%, to get to know her better, and to learn how to become one with this new boat.”
Solo Challenge – German skipper Boris Herrmann at the helm of his new IMOCA Malizia 4, preparing for his third Route du Rhum appearance and his first solo transatlantic race aboard the recently launched yacht. Photo: Marin Le Roux
He described the Route du Rhum as a race with a special personal significance, recalling how French offshore racing first inspired him as a young sailor in northern Germany. “This is a legendary race, and we want to be part of that legend,” he said.
