Holcim-PRB’s Nicolas Lunven secures 6th place in Vendée Globe
Team Holcim-PRB skipper Nicolas Lunven has successfully completed his first Vendée Globe, a single-handed round-the-world sailing race that takes place every four years. He finished 6th out of 40, and flew the GO CIRCULAR flag high in the furthest corners of the planet. Considered to be one of the ultimate tests of human endurance and perseverance, only 117 sailors before Nicolas have completed the so-called “Everest of the Seas” over the race’s 35 years of existence.
While sailing in some of the most remote parts of the planet, Nicolas collected scientific data from an OceanPack device installed on the Team Holcim-PRB IMOCA to measure climate trends and the ocean’s health. This is in addition to a separate marine science data collection project through Holcim’s Circular Explorer vessel, a 100% solar-powered plastics recycling catamaran operating in the Philippines, which was recently featured in The Ocean Titans Series.
Nicolas Lunven, Skipper, Team Holcim-PRB: “This was an incredible challenge that really made me push my limits. Although I was alone on board for 75 days, it is the extraordinary teamwork that made this adventure possible, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone on the team. Seeing the ocean in all its glory was truly humbling and an important reminder that we need to do all we can to preserve it.”
Nollaig Forrest, Chief Sustainability Officer, Holcim: “We are immensely proud of Nicolas’ record-breaking performance. He braved the elements, including storms of up to 10-meter waves and up to 65 knots of wind, sailed past the three famous capes, and passed Point Nemo at the edge of the world. His incredible achievement is testament to the unstoppable Holcim spirit.”
Olivier Troussicot, PRB CEO: “Congratulations to our skipper, Nicolas Lunven, for his extraordinary performance in the Vendée Globe, finishing 6th in the largest edition yet, with 40 competitors. For over three decades, PRB has been a proud partner of this legendary race, and the return of our boat to the iconic channel of Les Sables d'Olonne is always an unforgettable moment. Following Nicolas’ incredible journey has been a source of immense inspiration for all of us.”
Team Holcim-PRB is already looking ahead to its next challenge – The Ocean Race Europe – after coming second in the round-the-world edition in 2023. In the summer of 2025, Team Holcim-PRB will be at the starting line of The Ocean Race Europe on 10 August, 2025 in Kiel, with stopovers in the UK, Spain and Italy, before crossing the finish line in Montenegro. This race will be a completely different challenge with a crewed configuration and many short regattas, with Dutch sailor Rosalin Kuiper as the boat’s skipper.
About Holcim
Holcim is a global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions with net sales of CHF 27.0 billion in 2023. Our 63,000 employees are driven by our purpose to build progress for people and the planet across our regions to improve living standards for all. We partner with our customers to offer the broadest range of advanced solutions, from sustainable building materials ECOPact and ECOPlanet, to our circular technology ECOCycle®, all the way to Elevate’s advanced roofing and insulation systems.
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