Malizia Vendée Show Episode 9: Special Guest Dr. Léa Olivier, The Alfred Wegener Institute

The team are spread wide in this episode on the Malizia Vendée Show, with Holly Cova dealing in from Tenerife, Will Harris joining from the UK, Cole Brauer joining from the Southern Ocean and Dr. Léa Olivier joining from onboard Polarstern, a German research icebreaker that is used to study the Arctic and Antarctic - First streamed live on 06/01/2025As always, Will provides updates on Boris’ race strategy, the current fleet positions, and the impact of South Atlantic weather patterns on the race dynamics. Cole shares her recent challenges in the Southern Ocean, including adjusting to lighter winds and preparing her boat for the tougher conditions ahead. Léa shares the importance of data collected by boats like Malizia-Seaexplorer, explaining how it’s used to track CO2 absorption in the Ocean. Her anecdotes about life on a research ship, spotting penguins and albatrosses, and deploying deep-sea instruments painted an engaging picture of science in action.Boris was also a big focus, with updates on his mental resilience and an upcoming mast climb to fix a vital component of the running backstay. Will broke down the technicalities of the repair and its significance for Boris’ performance. The conversation turned reflective, with Cole sharing her own experiences of solo mast climbs and the mental strength required.The show wrapped up on a light note, with everyone sharing their favourite sailing books.Dr. Léa Olivier is a scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, specialising in ocean and climate research, with a focus on the Southern Ocean's carbon sink and its response to climate change. Her work investigates how physical Ocean processes impact CO₂ exchange between the Ocean and atmosphere. Dr. Olivier collaborates with Team Malizia by utilising data collected through their onboard scientific equipment, such as the Ocean Pack, which measures Oceanic CO₂ levels. Her expertise bridges scientific research and offshore sailing, contributing valuable insights to global climate studies.Music by Rex Banner from Artist.ioRecorded by Holly Cova, Will Harris, Cole Brauer & Dr. Léa OlivierProduced by Holly Cova & Dani Devine Edited by Dani Devine Copyright Team Malizia SAS and Boris Herrmann Racing GmbH