Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, first major solo test for Boris Herrmann and Malizia 4

Boris Herrmann launched Malizia 4 from Saint-Malo on Nov. 4, 2026, starting the 3,452-nautical-mile Route du Rhum–Destination Guadeloupe to Pointe-à-Pitre. Yacht Club de Monaco member Herrmann, racing solo for the first time aboard the IMOCA—launched in July—was in fifth place in his class as the fleet left Saint-Malo behind. Among 115 competitors, 22 are in the IMOCA category. Malizia 4, designed and built over two years and launched in Lorient in July 2026, has already crossed the Atlantic twice, including a 4th-place finish in The Ocean Race Atlantic in September. Herrmann’s stated objective is a top-six finish, while acknowledging others have had more time to master their boats.