Boris Herrmann wins German Offshore Award 2021

The German Offshore Award 2021 was celebrated in the Great Hall of Hamburg City Hall on the evening of Tuesday, 5 April 2022. This year’s award for Best German Offshore Yacht went to the Imoca “Seaexplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco” and skipper Boris Herrmann. This recognition is presented annually to the best yacht sailing in international regattas under the German flag by a jury of representatives from the major Hamburg sailing clubs, chaired by the Hamburg Sailing Association. 

The basis for determining the winning yacht is a formula that takes into account various factors such as the difficulty of the regatta, the number of yachts entered, the weather and wind conditions as well as the result in the overall classification. 

This fifthteenth edition recognised the Vendée Globe performance of Boris Herrmann, who was the first German sailor to take part in the non-stop world regatta and who almost managed to sail his way onto the podium, as unique and outstanding. 

Whilst competing in one of the toughest ocean races around the world, Boris Herrmann has been collecting ocean data with a laboratory installed onboard his Imoca and contributing to the scientific community’s knowledge on ocean climate change. For several years, the skipper and his Team Malizia have been running the “A Race We Must Win” campaign, which inspires ambitious climate action through outreach, creating awareness, and highlighting solutions to the climate crisis. 

State Councillor Christoph Holstein, who announced the winner, added that the Hamburg-based professional sailor deserved a special recognition for combining his top sporting performances with a constant reminder to protect our planet and the oceans. 

Accompanied by a standing ovation, Boris Herrmann accepted the Senate Prize of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, a silver tray engraved with the names of the yachts that won the prize over the past 14 years. Mona Küppers, President of the German Sailing Association (DSV) presented Boris Herrmann with a silver tray engraved with the entire 28,000 nautical miles route of the Vendée Globe on behalf of the DSV Presidium as a sign of special recognition for his successful Vendée Globe participation.

Other nominees included Melwin Fink with his mini “signforcom”, the Offshore Team Germany team with the Imoca “Einstein” and the Carkeek 47 “Störtebeker” of the Hamburg Seafaring Association with skipper Katrina Westphal. The ceremony also presented the Life Time Award to Kirsten Harmstorf-Schönwitz who skippered an all-female crew on the racing yacht “Tutima” for many years. This year’s Wehring & Wolfes Youth Award went to the classic regatta yacht “Germania VI”, which has belonged to the Alfred Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation since 1972 and on which young crews have the opportunity to learn all facets of ocean sailing.