“My message to young people is this: I invite you to be very curious, to question the status quo and also the social norms. The way we’re doing things today is not right regarding climate change.” This was German skipper Boris Herrmann’s message to the youth gathered at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.

After just completing the Ocean Race, during which Boris Herrmann and his crew won the final stage, Herrmann was at the Yacht Club de Monaco, ‘home’ of his Malizia team – designed and founded together with Pierre Casiraghi – for the 10th edition of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.

“We need to make a breakthrough and we will see the greatest changes in the history of our civilization in the next century,” said Herrmann to the young students participating in the competition. “This will be a very challenging time for engineers and technicians to work on solutions to drive change, so be ambitious and don’t stop at no.”

The event, dedicated to alternative propulsion, gathered together 31 universities and around 50 teams for a total of 500 international students, who competed in various competitions at sea with their boats powered by alternative propulsion.

Boris Herrmann has long been committed to the environment, including, for example, a laboratory onboard his boat during the last Vendée Globe.

“Here at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, we see students with boats with solar technologies but also with hydrogen fuel cells. They are technologies that are not common. They will drive innovation and some startups will emerge from here. They will certainly learn a lot, and more and more talent will spread among the people who work in the sector.”

The German sportsman now has his eyes set on the Transat Jacques Vabre in October 2023 and the Vendée Globe 2024-2025.

Make sure you’re never left out of the conversation. Sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Facebook,  Twitter,  Instagram and LinkedIn.  

Photo source: Yacht Club de Monaco