Corentin Horeau (MACSF) still leads the IMOCA fleet in the Route du Rhum, but Boris Herrmann has clawed back ground overnight, climbing to second aboard Malizia 4. The German skipper finds himself in a three-way scrap with Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing) and Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), and in a separate contest with the weather itself.
Herrmann painted a vivid picture of conditions on board during today's radio check-in. "I'm now on the windward side of the depression," he said. "It's like being in a car wash, at the end of the cycle, when all the water pools on the windows and a fan blows on the car. That's exactly what my windows look like right now."
Despite the soaking, he sounded upbeat.
"I'm optimistic about the race. I got off to a good start and I need to rest a bit after the depression and its centre pass through. I didn't sleep much last night. I think the race is full of surprises and a lot can still happen. But I'm happy with it and the boat is in great shape."
Asked whether he could reel in the race leader, Herrmann was careful not to rule it out. "Catch Corentin? Never say never. He's going pretty fast at the moment. I think his average speed is higher than mine, and given the sea state, I probably won't be much faster. He's at the back of the swell, where the sea state is probably a bit better. But the race is far from over."
There was no mistaking his enjoyment, either.
"I'm having a lot of fun. Fortunately, it's exciting. Of course, I enjoy it more when I'm well placed. And when the boat behaves like this, it's a real pleasure."
Little respite lies ahead, by his own reckoning. "The next ten hours look pretty windy, so we'll need to hold on, not break anything while maintaining speed. That's always a challenge. And after that, we'll still have a few transitions and a big depression. Some routing models are showing winds of 50 knots. This is a much tougher Route du Rhum than usual with the trade winds."
And he's still finding his feet sailing solo. "I'm learning the best boat settings single-handed, how to balance the ballast and the foil. I'm trying to find my markers, and I already feel pretty comfortable."
