Team Malizia break 24-Hour monohull distance record at the Ocean Race, surpassing previous mark by narrow margin

In a display of sailing prowess, Team Malizia has seemingly shattered the 24-hour monohull distance record at the Ocean Race, surpassing the previous mark set by Team Holcim-PRB earlier on Friday by the slimmest of margins.

Initially positioned in third place, Team Malizia seized the opportunity presented by the record-breaking conditions and steadily ramped up their mileage. Skipper Boris Herrmann and his crew navigated the strong winds and relatively calm seas with unwavering determination.

At approximately 10:40 UTC, Team Malizia achieved a 24-hour distance of 641.08 nautical miles, surpassing the previous record and setting a new benchmark. This distance may further increase as the hours unfold.

The leading trio of IMOCAs, including Team Malizia, has been on a remarkable streak for the past 36 hours, maintaining a pace exceeding 605 miles, which continues to surpass the previous record of 602 nautical miles set in The Ocean Race.

All records are based on the mileage recorded by the Race Management System and are subject to ratification by the World Sailing Speed Record Council, ensuring accuracy and legitimacy.

Further updates are expected to come in on Saturday morning with the latest figures.

On Friday, Team Holcim-PRB with skipper Kevin Escoffier broke the existing 24-hour distance records in the monohull class, and as of 06:30 UTC on Friday, the team had peaked at 640.9 nautical miles.

“It’s a great boat and I’m really pleased! It’s not every day you break a record like this,” Escoffier had said after his team broke the record.

“I’m really happy for the whole team after what happened on the fourth leg (the team retired after dismasting). We don’t know what’s going to happen next, even if we’re going to do everything we can to win this leg. In any case, I think it’s a great reward for the whole team.”

– – –