Holcim-PRB is on his way to Martinique
6 novembre 2023
Skippers
Let's go for the first transatlantic voyage for Nicolas Lunven and Rosalin Kuiper at the helm of Holcim-PRB. The two skippers left Concarneau today at 10:00 a.m. to head for Martinique. It is in conveyor mode that this crossing is carried out, as planned. The crew's objective is to take the monohull to the Antilles so that Nicolas can then take the start of the Transat Return to Base solo, a qualifying race for the Vendée Globe.
For this delivery, Nicolas Lunven is accompanied by Rosalin Kuiper, Jean-Marc Failler, Hugo Feydit, and Julien Champolion (onboard reporter). These first miles will be a true discovery of the boat for Nicolas, who needs to absorb as much knowledge and information as possible before setting off alone for the return race. 'There are five of us on board, and I will rely on everyone accompanying me to finalize the list of tasks we need to complete. I need to learn during this delivery how to use the boat and master all the onboard systems (electronics, computer systems, etc.), as well as refine the maneuvers and become familiar with all the sails. There are quite a few stakes on this crossing, even though we are fortunate to be able to do it in delivery mode,' explains the skipper of the Go Circular project. Nicolas Lunven wanted to have Rosalin Kuiper, co-skipper of Holcim-PRB, on board so she could also discover the Swiss-flagged IMOCA. This aligns with the team and partners' desire to mentor Rosalin so that she will be ready to take the helm of the project and become the skipper of the boat for The Ocean Race Europe in 2025.
The crew is expected to take between 12 and 15 days to reach Martinique on a direct route. The sailing conditions are anticipated to be challenging for the first night on board. However, the weather offered a small window to set off today, allowing them to round Cape Finisterre under manageable conditions before the arrival of a new depression currently forming in the Bay of Biscay. Upon arrival in the Caribbean, the main objective is for Nicolas to feel comfortable with the boat and to be able to confidently start the Retour à la Base race, which is still scheduled to begin on November 26. 'I hope that by the time we arrive in Martinique, we will have checked off all the items on our job list. You can always dream!' jokes the skipper, who is preparing to embark on his first Vendée Globe next year, a solo round-the-world race without stops or assistance.