Team Malizia –  Cole Brauer

Following Boris Herrmann’s successful completion of his second Vendée Globe, Team Malizia is gearing up for an action-packed six months, featuring an ambitious racing calendar, exciting team updates, and continued efforts in Ocean science and education. With Malizia – Seaexplorer undergoing a refit to transition back into crewed mode, the team is looking forward to the busy 2025 season.

Cole Brauer, Team Malizia’s new co-skipper

A major addition to the team is Cole Brauer, who joins Team Malizia as co-skipper, alongside skipper Boris Herrmann and co-skipper Will Harris. Cole Brauer made history as the first American woman to race solo nonstop around the world, finishing second in the 2023–2024 Global Solo Challenge aboard her Class40 First Light. Her journey was not only a feat of endurance and skill, but she also captivated the public, bringing the adventure and challenges of solo offshore racing to a new audience. Her achievements have redefined what is possible in the sport, inspired countless sailors and fans worldwide, and have earned her the prestigious Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year 2024 award. Over the past months, Cole Brauer has been mentored by Boris Herrmann through The Magenta Project.

“Becoming part of Team Malizia is truly a dream come true,” says Cole Brauer. “Today is actually my last day on First Light, which I’ve sold, and it also marks the start of a new chapter as co-skipper with this great team I’ve gotten to know over the past year. The first time I experienced foiling on Malizia – Seaexplorer was in New York last year. The feeling was unbelievable! Now, I get to race on this amazing boat, bring my own experience to the team, and fully join the Malizia family. I’m so excited to learn from this remarkable group of people and take part in exciting races of the IMOCA circuit.”

“Cole is a truly talented sailor and her journey aligns perfectly with our mission to push boundaries and inspire people”, Boris Herrmann comments. “Sailing solo around the world on an old and tricky Class40 is an incredible achievement. She’s inspiring, determined, and brings a fresh perspective to our team. While I had the chance to mentor her, I actually ended up learning a lot from her. I’m excited to race alongside Cole and Will this year, and to take on new challenges together!”

Taking On The Ocean Race Europe

As this summer promises to be one of many firsts, Team Malizia is particularly thrilled to take part in The Ocean Race Europe for the first time. Following their experience in the round-the-world race in 2023, the team is looking forward to the shorter format in European waters.

The second edition of The Ocean Race Europe will set off from Kiel on 10 August 2025 and conclude six weeks later in Boka Bay, Montenegro. Under the banner of “Connecting Europe”, it will take the fleet of IMOCA boats from the Baltic Sea, through the North Sea and English Channel, into the Atlantic, and finally through the Mediterranean to the Adriatic.

Boris Herrmann says: “I’m really excited about The Ocean Race Europe 2025. While I love the challenge of racing solo, there’s something truly special about racing with a crew. I’m looking forward to being back on board Malizia – Seaexplorer with a great team, each member bringing their own strengths and motivating us to improve and push our limits.”

He adds: “I’ll be skippering our great boat and when I’m not on board for certain legs, Will Harris will take over as skipper, as he did on two legs of The Ocean Race. He’s a talented sailor, a strong leader, and knows this boat like the back of his hand. He’ll do a brilliant job pushing both the boat and the crew. A particularly exciting addition is having Cole Brauer as co-skipper. As for the rest of the crew, including sailors and media man/woman, we’ve got some exciting prospects lined up, which we’ll announce this spring.”

For Boris Herrmann, the hugely successful Fly-By in Kiel on the penultimate leg of The Ocean Race 2022-23 was a special moment. On their way to rounding the turning mark in the Kieler Fjord, Boris Herrmann and his Team Malizia were escorted by an incredible amount of spectator boats and tens of thousands of people cheering from the shoreline. The German skipper had the chance to race for the first time in his home country onboard his new IMOCA race yacht. Back then, he compared the emotions created by the Kiel Fly-By to the passage of Cape Horn.

“We are all really happy and excited to have The Ocean Race Europe starting in Kiel this year!”, says the German sailor. “Kiel feels like home to me and I grew up sailing there over the years. It’s also home to Geomar and our science partners. This will be an amazing chance for the public to come and meet the team, see the boat and get in touch with our My Ocean Challenge education programme in 2025. For me, our team, and our partners, this will definitely be a highlight and we can’t wait to compete in the race!”