Even for his press conference, we don’t see him directly. Unlike those of the other skippers, Boris Herrmann chose to respond to journalists behind a screen, by videoconference. “To allow international media to participate,” his team had officially indicated.
This confirmed the impression of distance with the skipper. Who had already been noticed by his absences at the Défi Azimut, mid-September, and at the official press conference in Paris, on September 19. Since the opening of the Vendée Globe village three weeks ago, it has been invisible, notably missing the official opening, the official photo of the skippers and the official lunch with the president of Saem Vendée. However, these meetings are obligatory and could earn him, in total, a cumulative fine of 30,000 euros.
“I haven’t had much to do on the boat lately”
But where had he gone, when rumors of a back injury emerged? “I was in Hamburg, at home, and I arrived in Les Sables-d’Olonne a week ago,” justified the 43-year-old German, this Thursday, November 7, three days before departure.
Since then, he had come to the pontoons, but outside of public opening hours. On Wednesday, he made his first public appearance in Port Olonna at the end of the day, notably climbing the mast of his Imoca Malizia-SeaExplorer. Had he missed his boat? “We are one of the best prepared teams. I haven’t had much to do on the boat lately. » Considering that his Imoca was ready, he preferred “prepare mentally”while remaining “in contact with his team”who has worked on the boat since the village opened.
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“I prepared myself, I studied, he continued. I feel good. I’m going to spend some time with the boat again today (this Thursday). But no skipper can be in the village for three weeks, there are so many people, you can go crazy. Two weeks before the race, I am in a mental tunnel. » Moreover, to stay in his bubble, his family did not accompany him to France for these last days on land. With one exception: his little dog, Liliwho never leaves him, was seen in his company on the pontoons.
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