One more step toward the Vendée Globe for Holcim-PRB
by Team HOLCIM - PRB 11 Dec 2023 10:25 PST
11 December 2023
Team Holcim-PRB © Eloi Stichelbaut | PolaRYSE | Team Holcim-PRB
At 4:28am this Monday morning, Holcim-PRB arrived in Lorient. The IMOCA skippered by Nicolas Lunven took 8th place in Retour à la Base, single-handed transatlantic race starting from Fort-de-France, Martinique. For his first race at the helm of the 60', the skipper played it safe, putting his goal of qualifying for the Vendée Globe first.
Nicolas held a strong position during the first part of the race. Close to the Azores, he however decided change his route to areas of lighter winds, ensuring that he didn't take big risks with the boat and got the opportunity to test the vessel in different conditions. At the finish, Nicolas explained how much he had learned during this first solo race onboard Holcim PRB. "From a sporting point of view, at the beginning I was pretty much in the game. From the Azores onwards, when a gale hit, I decided to take a southerly route. I This allowed me to sail in a variety of wind ranges. I knew I was going to lose places, but I was able to try out some sails and get to know the boat better, which would have not been possible if I continued sailing in 35 knots with a reefedsail. Due to this alternative route, I was able to use the full set of sails and all possible configurations," explained the skipper of Holcim-PRB.
During the 4,609 miles of racing Nicolas gained more than just knowledge on the boat, he returns to Brittany with a lot of confidence! "It was, but it enabled me to validate a lot of things about the boat. I really wanted to qualify. I didn't play the competition to the hilt, but I achieved my goal. I gained confidence on the boat and I needed that. These are complex machines. Ten days ago, I'd only sailed the boat four times," he added, before hailing Yoann Richomme's victory and congratulating the rest of the podium, including Jérémie Beyou and Sam Goodchild. This transatlantic race also enabled the Frensh skipper to truly appreciate the level of competition that awaits him in a little less than a year's time during the Vendée Globe, where he will be competingagainst experts in full control of their machines. "Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa) sailed an incredible race, in complete control from start to finish. Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and Sam Goodchild (For The Planet) also sailed superbly. They set the bar very high in terms of mastery of the subject, in all its facets. They make the boats go very fast, and they didn't make any mistakes," before debriefing with his entire team over coffee and croissants, as daylight was just beginning to break over the port of Lorient La Base.
Nicolas Lunven, skipper
"From a sporting point of view, at the beginning I was pretty much in the game. Downwind at high speed, I felt less at ease, given my unfamiliarity with the boat. So I decided to go to places with a little less wind to get a feel for the boat. So, from a sporting point of view, I'm a bit behind the frontrunners. On the other hand, it allowed me to sail in a variety of wind ranges. From the Azores onwards, when a gale hit, I decided to take a southerly route. I knew I was going to lose places, but I was able to try out some sails and get to know the boat better than sailing in 35 knots under reduced sail and learning less about the boat's behavior. Here, I was able to use the full set of sails and all possible configurations. It was disappointing to put the competition on hold, but it enabled me to validate a lot of things about the boat. I really wanted to qualify. I'd put a lot of pressure on myself, it was a bit like having a sword of Damocles hanging over my head. I didn't play the competition to the hilt, but I achieved my goal. I gained confidence on the boat and I needed that. These are complex machines. Ten days ago, I'd only sailed the boat four times."
