This Transat CIC is far from a smooth journey. It is extreme and has already left many boats on the sidelines of the North Atlantic. Nicolas Lunven aboard Holcim-PRB is still in the race, even though he has had to give up his ambitions to battle at the front of the fleet. Deprived of his bowsprit for three days now, the monohull can no longer be propelled by its large downwind sails. He has to make do with smaller sails, which do not allow him to reach the sometimes stratospheric speeds of the leaders.

On board, Nicolas continues to maximize the potential of his machine. The skipper remains philosophical and knows that this transatlantic crossing from Lorient to New York is, in any case, full of lessons for the upcoming Vendée Globe in November. "The conditions are brisk with strong winds and very short seas. We're near the Gulf Stream, so the sea is a bit short and choppy. We have 35 knots of wind from behind. It’s fast, but it’s tough! It’s not very comfortable. You have to hold on a bit to your mattress to try to rest. So, we don’t sleep much. These are very enriching conditions to prepare for the Vendée Globe, and that’s what I came here for. The idea was not to sail in 10 knots on a flat sea. We mainly wanted to put ourselves in real conditions. So, it’s positive. Everything is going well on board," explains Nicolas this Sunday.

He should catch a glimpse of the silhouette of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island at the mouth of the Hudson River on Thursday, and he will then have three weeks with his technical team to get Holcim-PRB back in shape. The monohull will indeed present itself at the starting line of New York – Vendée on Wednesday, May 29, the return transatlantic race that will lead the fleet to Les Sables d’Olonne. Until then, a lot can still happen, and Nicolas is trying to manage the changing weather situations as best as he can without causing further damage to his boat. "I am 800 miles from the finish. We have wind expected all day this Sunday, and after that, I will have a first transition zone to cross with light winds. Then it will pick up a bit. On Tuesday, we will have close-hauled sailing from the southwest, but it won't last long before another transition zone on Wednesday. The rest is currently uncertain, but it shouldn't be too intense for the final miles. A lot can still happen, and that’s great!" Nicolas adds with an energy that never leaves him.

Out of the 33 IMOCAs still in the race, only 26 are continuing their journey to New York. Nicolas, currently in 14th place in a race led by Yoann Richomme on Paprec Arkea, is determined to be among those who will dock their 60’ in the American city.