The 2020-’21 Vendee Globe was Boris Herrmann’s moment. The German was pressing hard in the final North Atlantic stretch with a condensed fleet and people were watching. Lots of people! Herrmann’s emotional and thoughtful pleas to his fans each day made him one of the most popular sailors in the fleet on social media. His cozy and colorful wool Devold sweaters gave him a human side and all were devastated when he crushed his pulpit against an unseen fishing boat.
Herrmann has built on that fame with a new boat, a successful lap of the planet in The Ocean Race. And on this New York Vendee-les Sables d’Olonne stopover, he decided to up his presence on social media and on the race course by inviting America’s solo sailing pop-star and aspiring Vendee Globe sailor Cole Brauer to join his shore team.
On and off the water, the two have been bringing smiles to sponsors faces and, most important for them, they have been learning from each other: for Herrmann, how to give himself permission to be more himself while racing; and for Cole, how to run a massive Vendee Globe campaign in a way that empowers the shore crew, satisfies sponsors and gets the most out of the skipper.
“It’s easy to be shy in telling our own story, not just in social media,” said Herrmann on Monday while a squall drenched his hotel window. “Seeing Cole do it her way is a great encouragement for Usa to be ourselves, to be authentic. This week, being around guests, being herself, people were inspired.”
Brauer inspired millions this year on her way to becoming the first American woman to complete a solo around the world race. She was second in the Global Solo Challenge in a Class 40 sailboat, the same class Herrmann cut his teeth in nearly 20 years ago.
“I felt a huge appreciation for Cole’s achievements and I know how difficult that was in a Class 40, a boat harder to sail than a 60,” said Herrmann. “It was a personal inspiration to follow her race. And I imagine to have her here will give the Vendee Globe a footprint in the U.S. and we hope to see her on the pontoons in Brittany. Maybe we will sal together one day.”
The 30-year-old American has already been adopted by the IMOCA tribe. They understand and respect eachother, and she wants to do the next Vendee. Despite the admiration, even Brauer was shocked when the crowd and skippers sung “Happy Birthday” to her in unison after the finish of the Vendee Liberty race in New York Harbor last week.
Brauer relates to Herrmann’s sensibilities and is taking notes on the campaign’s management style. “Boris is allowed to have a life. It’s super inspiring,” said Brauer who was a boat captain in Class 40s before striking out as a professional solo sailor. “If you’re always turning the screwdriver, then the team doesn’t get to do it without you. They have too set you up for success and Boris gives them that autonomy while he takes care of himself.”
Both sailors are invested in having a purpose, something they both did well in New York City when Brauer was headlined in the Magenta Project’s IMOCA Female Development Project and Herrmann joined his Ocean Conference Malitzia with ocean advocate and pioneer Sylvia Earle.
Brauer said she was star struck meeting some of her heroes including Sam Davies, Initiatives Coeur, and Herrmann’s former teammate Rosalin Kuiper, HOLCIM.
For Herrmann, he’s already taking some of Brauer’s tips with him across the Atlantic. “I’m trying to be more myself, I put speakers on my boat and even bought a pair of headphones like Cole’s,” said Herrmann. “I tried to get them in pink, just like hers but could only get them in boring grey.”
