HOLCIM - PRB

The hull, originally built for a The Ocean Race project, underwent significant modifications to meet the demands of solo sailing. Unlike older-generation IMOCAs, the current trend is to add volume to the bow. Like many monohulls of the same generation, it features a wider and more powerful bow designed to prevent the boat from nosediving into waves. For a round-the-world race, the goal is to have a boat that is as stable as possible, capable of maintaining consistent average speeds without solely chasing top-end performance. The deck layout was also redesigned, and latest-generation foils were installed. This IMOCA, initially designed for pure crewed performance, has thus become very versatile. The Verdier design lined up for the start of the 2022 Route du Rhum, where it finished 4th, followed by participation in The Ocean Race. During leg 4 of the fully crewed round-the-world race with stopovers, the IMOCA Holcim-PRB was dismasted. It managed to resume racing in leg 5 after acquiring a new mast. The Swiss-flagged team went on to finish 2nd overall in The Ocean Race. After the round-the-world campaign, Nicolas Lunven took over the helm of the IMOCA for all solo races in 2023 and 2024, with the ultimate goal of competing in the Vendée Globe. In 2023, he took part in Retour à la Base, finishing in 8th place. He continued straight into the 2024 season, starting with the Transat CIC. While sailing in 5th position, he suffered damage to his bowsprit and eventually finished 14th, partly due to that issue. He then continued his solo season with an 11th-place finish in the New York Vendée – Les Sables d’Olonne. In November, he set off on the Vendée Globe, quickly placing himself among the frontrunners and even breaking the 24-hour speed record. He completed the race in 6th place.