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Nicolas Lunven, 6th in the Vendée Globe 2024

This Friday at 0751 PM UTC, after 75 days, 07 hours and 49 minutes of racing, Nicolas Lunven crossed the Vendée Globe finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne in sixth place, in the midst of a building winter storm. The completion of his circumnavigation represents a remarkable performance for the Breton skipper’s first participation, especially as he didn’t take the reins of Holcim - PRB’s IMOCA until September 2023, little more than a year before the start.

LORIENT, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 5, 2024 : Holcim - PRB skipper Nicolas Lunven (FRA) is pictured training on September 5, 2024 off Lorient, France - Photo by Adrien Nivet / Polaryse
LORIENT, FRANCE - 5 SEPTEMBRE 2024 : Le skipper de Holcim - PRB Nicolas Lunven (FRA) s'entraîne le 5 septembre 2024 au large de Lorient, France - Photo by Adrien Nivet / Polaryse

An extremely experienced and talented sailor, Nicolas was an obvious choice to take the Holcim - PRB campaign forward. Significant career milestones already included two Solitaire du Figaro victories (2009 and 2017), plus three participations in The Ocean Race. He also has almost a decade of experience in the IMOCA class, including the successful completion of the 2022 Vendée Arctique, taking 10th place in an older boat sporting the colours of a previous sponsor.

Audacity and resilience

Nicolas immediately confirmed that he was ready to compete in the big leagues. Taking advantage of bold strategic options, he was the first skipper in this edition of the Vendée Globe to break the solo 24 hour distance record in a 60ft yacht, covering 546.60 miles. Although this was surpassed by Yoann Richomme and Sébastien Simon, it nevertheless highlights his ability to exploit all the speed of his IMOCA. 

He also demonstrated both calm and ingenuity when faced with technical issues, including a repair to a ballast hatch in the doldrums and damage to his mainsail in the Southern Ocean. 

Consistently good strategic choices, combined with an ability to sail cleanly in the most harsh conditions, were highlighted in a close match with Jérémie Beyou and Thomas Ruyant in the Pacific. 

Tenacity in the face of the unexpected

The loss of masthead wind sensors in an area of intense thunder storms during the ascent of the Atlantic robbed Nicolas of equipment that’s essential for optimising performance. Yet being forced to rely on a makeshift arrangement rigged on the pushpit at the back of the boat didn’t appear to dent his speed and he even gained a place in the final days, having made particularly good progress in an intense depression before the Azores.

Lunven’s performance in his first Vendée Globe shows he has the mindset, determination and technical skill to compete with the very best at the highest echelon of his sport, suggesting more exploits to come for the 42-year-old skipper.

Follow Nicolas Lunven heading up the channel on Saturday 1130 AM UTC (link below)

Race in figures

Arrival time (UTC)
Race time 75j 07h 49min 41s
Difference from first 10j 12h 26min 52s
Nicolas Lunven covered theoretical course of 23 906 miles at an average speed of 13.22 knots.
Nicolas Lunven covered an actual course of 29 389 miles at an average speed of 16.26 knots.

Passage times

A world map showing the Vendée Globe's strategic waypoints
  • Equator (outward) 11d 10h 58min 24s
  • Cape of Good Hope 19d 13h 14min 01s
  • Cape Leeuwin 30d 23h 03min 03s
  • Cape Horn 47d 16h 29min 46s
  • Equator (return) 64d 02h 15min 54s

Race highlights

  • The day after the start, Nicolas Lunven makes his move towards the West as he approached Cape Finisterre, but rudder problems quickly forced him to get out his tool box out.

  • With his shift to the West, Nicolas accelerated to join the head of the fleet, and was the first to beat the record for distance covered solo in 24 hours: 546.60 miles! He would then have it stolen by Yoann Richomme as he approached the equator, then a week later again by Sébastien Simon in the South Atlantic.

  • On the 4th day of racing, the skipper of Holcim-PRB took control leading the race for 8 hours.

  • As he approached the Doldrums, it was composite workshop time aboard Holcim-PRB! Nicolas had to repair a ballast access hatch.

  • A birthday at sea for the sailor from Vannes, it is his  42nd birthday as he approaches the Cape of Good Hope. He opens his presents and discovers, among other things, a polo shirt with the image of his dog “intox”.

  • To avoid the worst of a nasty depression in the Indian Ocean, Lunven goes around it towards the North, alongside Jérémie Beyou, whom he races side by side for long time.

  • After passing a windless zone under Australia, Nicolas Lunven finds Thomas Ruyant and Jérémie Beyou for a three-way match that will last a good part of the Pacific!

  • As he approaches Point Nemo, he has to moderate his attack the wind is strong and very unstable “here you feel that it is nature that decides! We are not welcome here”. Nico is plagued by mainsail batten problems. He repairs astride the boom, in 35 knots.

  • In the middle of a storm zone, Beyou sees his masthead unit torn off, and with it all the precious wind sensors. In order not to be left completely blind from now on, he installs an aerial at the back of the boat.

  • The skipper of Holcim-PRB chooses the option east offshore of the Brazilian coast, which turns out to be lighter than expected. He loses a few places in the ranking, but fights to get back in contact with the Beyou-Goodchild-Meilhat trio.

  • Crossing the Equator in 7th position, on the lookout for the slightest opportunity to catch up!

  • In the big depression that catches the head of the fleet before the Azores, he keeps pushing “I've never seen a sea like that! It's magnificent, fabulous," he enthuses, while he takes advantage of the troubles of the British Sam Goodchild to grab a place in the ranking!

  • "It's still war" aboard Holcim-PRB, well tested by the storm. The end of the race also promises to be windy, but Nicolas fights for the top 5 with Paul Meilhat.

  • Nicolas crossed the finish line of the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe in 6th position after 75 days at sea.

Skippers linked to this article

Nicolas Lunven

HOLCIM - PRB
Nicolas Lunven

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