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When his 89-year-old mother-in-law recently raved about "Boris", Frank Schönfeld decided to do something.

“At first I thought she was talking about Boris Becker.

But she had followed the Vendée Globe and was fully informed about the situation with Boris Herrmann. "Schönfeld, 65, old master of Hamburg sailing, sailmaker and enthusiastic musician, called friends and recorded a song in the recording studio on Saturday a week ago. which he had already composed for another occasion and which he has now simply rewritten.

“Boris flieg”, which Schönfeld sent through the social networks, was intended to motivate the lonely sailor on the Atlantic for the last 2600 kilometers to the goal.

On the same day, Herrmann thanked him by voice message from board: "Frank, the energy has arrived."

After 80 days it wasn't enough to win the toughest regatta in the world, which seemed conceivable eight days ago, but for 5th place Herrmann must be happy that he was uninjured.

During the night from Wednesday to Thursday, his "Seaexplorer" brushed a fishing trawler about 170 kilometers from the French destination of Les Sables-d'Olonne at a speed of 17 knots (31.4 kilometers per hour) that Herrmann's navigation systems had not registered.

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He drove on with his boat, badly damaged at the bow and starboard.

At 10.19 local time on Thursday, Herrmann brought the "Seaexplorer" home over the finish line.

Among the many well-wishers on Twitter was climate activist Greta Thunberg and Hamburg's First Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD): “World class sailing for a good cause.

Respect for your performance.

Many greetings from Hamburg! ”Shortly after the accident, he had encouraged Herrmann to go the rest of the way.

Herrmann's popularity is likely to have increased the accident that cost him a podium place shortly before the finish line.

The wave of sympathy that accompanied him on his extreme regatta around the world spurred sailing in Hamburg and Germany.

He was the first German sailor ever to take part in the Vendée Globe, which is dominated by French professionals.

A few weeks ago, Frank Schönfeld would not have thought possible fifth in the final ranking.

"No scriptwriter could have written such a finale more excitingly," says the sailor, who has become 38 times German champion, six times European and once world champion on various classes of dinghies and keel boats.

“The attention that Boris has generated is the best and most beautiful thing that could have happened to German sailing.

That is comparable to what Boris Becker and Steffi Graf have achieved for tennis in Germany as a whole. "

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Mona Küppers, President of the German Sailing Association, thinks it is possible that Herrmann will be able to get younger people in particular interested in sailing after the day.

“Young people find a charismatic role model in him and see: You can do something to develop yourself.

But you can also do a lot for something as important as climate protection.

That is his big topic parallel to sailing. "

The DSV, based in Hamburg, is the umbrella organization of around 1,300 sailing clubs nationwide, with a total of around 200,000 registered members.

“I get a lot of positive feedback on Boris Herrmann, especially from younger people to those who have just started with Opti sailing,” says Küppers.

"He stays with both feet on the ground and shows that he knows what he's getting into."

"Boris Herrmann let people take part in his everyday life, including doubts and fears"

In Hamburg as a center of German sailing, people are particularly looking forward to the return of Boris Herrmann - because he lives with his family in the Hanseatic city and because he also provides important impulses for sailing on the Alster and Elbe.

“In general, sailing is a marginal sport.

Boris Herrmann's participation in this year's Vendée Globe has brought sailing - here especially offshore sailing - more attention than probably never before.

Sailing does not usually appear in the 'Tagesschau' - Boris Herrmann was regularly reported there, ”says Tobias König, Chairman of the North German Regatta Club (NRV).

"At least for the coming years this event will give sailing and water sports a boost in Germany."

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The NRV, Hamburg's largest and most renowned sailing club, covers the full spectrum, from optimist courses for children to yacht regattas in many areas of the world.

König believes that Herrmann's performance has an impact on the entire spectrum of sailing: “Boris Herrmann is a charismatic and very good communicator.

He let people take part in his everyday life, including doubts and fears. ”He had shown his enthusiasm, but“ also his loneliness under the extreme conditions of this toughest one-handed regatta.

And that in a time of general isolation. "

The new enthusiasm for the sport will promote sailing on the Alster as well as regattas on the high seas: “We are currently expanding our port with the help of the city and patrons to promote inclusion in sailing.

The rush of younger people is so great that we have to keep a waiting list, ”says König.

In Germany, sailing is “more popular than it has been for a long time.

The NRV also grew during the pandemic; we currently have more than 2000 members, including around 250 children and young people. "

Veteran Schönfeld also feels motivated by Herrmann.

He wants to have a used Conger dinghy - a rather conservative boat - converted with foils, wings on the hull, like those used by some of the Vendée Globe sailors.

The plans for his “Regnoc - Foiling Conger” project are older and well advanced.

On the day Herrmann crossed the finish line, Haspa boss Harald Vogelsang promised him financial support for the crowdfunding project.

“We need 25,000 to 30,000 euros,” says Schönfeld.

"If we don't get that together, we'll donate the sum that has accrued up to then to sailing for disabled people."

With the “flying conger” and Boris Herrmann at the tiller, Schönfeld wants to promote sailing at a folk festival on the Alster.

He originally wrote his song “Boris flieg” for the occasion: “A conger creates seven knots.

With foils we bring it up to 20. And at 8.4 knots, we have already had that calculated, it takes off. "

This text is from WELT AM SONNTAG.

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Source: Welt am Sonntag