Nonstop. Boris Herrmann

How will you be following the race?

      It’s important to Boris that we talk on the phone every day. And we do. It’s good to hear the other person’s voice once a day. And we write a lot of emails. I’ll be following the race intensively. The tracker is sure to be running while I’m feeding the baby during the night (smiles).

       Are you yourself a sailor?

      I’m not a regatta sailor like Boris. More of a fairweather sailor. I grew up in Kiel and sailed a lot in the yachting school there, where I learned to appreciate the beauty of the sea. I’ve always been fascinated by the adventure of sailing.

       Did you meet through sailing?

      No, we met outside the sailing world. It was in 2014, in a café in Hamburg-Ottensen. At the time I had no idea what he did for a living. His name didn’t ring a bell at all. But I remember describing him to a girlfriend as »a ten out of ten« (grins). Later, my mother told me that the adventurous type really suits me, and that we enjoy experiencing new things together.

       Do you go sailing with your husband now and then?

      Quite often in the beginning. Sometimes the outcome was a little bloody (laughs). One time we were on a catamaran off Fehmarn and I ended up under the trampoline. I injured myself but didn’t want to let it show. When we had the situation under control again, he asked me if we should keep on sailing. I gritted my teeth and said yes. Only when I took my trousers off later did I see the blood from my little mishap. I’ve been on the Malizia with him several times as well …

       Malizia is now known as Seaexplorer – Yacht Club de Monaco and is starting in the Vendée Globe on Sunday. What are your memories of sailing on this Imoca rocket?

      I was on board under all sorts of conditions. It’s a very different sailing experience. Absolutely fascinating. When the boat really gets going, you first hear the foils humming gently. Then you take off, feel the wind. You almost feel like you’re flying. Which you are, in a way. It’s liberating, to be moving only by the power of the wind. If the conditions are perfect, you can’t help whooping. But I wouldn’t want to change places with Boris. And I’m full of admiration for Greta Thunberg, whom Boris sailed across the Atlantic last year. For a non-sailor her achievement cannot be overstated, and she has my total respect.

       You and your husband are very committed to the fight against climate change and for the protection of the seas. In Team Malizia, your shared goal is also reflected in the slogan »A race we must win«. What is your role?

      Officially, the »My Ocean Challenge« project began in 2018. But it actually started much earlier. As a school-teacher I introduced topics such as the Jules Verne Trophy to my pupils in order to test whether a global sailing adventure like this can get them interested in subjects such as protecting the seas. It worked surprisingly well. They were so enthusiastic. Then I did a lot of research into what was already available for children and young people. I was astonished at how little there was. I delved into the topic as if it were a little online course. Then we developed »My Ocean Challenge« step by step, first nationally and later expanding it internationally, contacted scientific institutions such as the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology and the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, and we now receive support from a number of foundations. I’m looking after the project on a voluntary basis during my maternity leave.

      Introducing children to the protection of the oceans is a special concern of ours.