This morning, as the first rays of sunlight broke through, a studious atmosphere enveloped the pontoons of Lorient La Base. Despite the showers, many spectators gathered to admire the stunning spectacle of the 33 IMOCA boats preparing to tackle the North Atlantic towards the United States. The cheers were almost whispers, a sign of respect for the skippers, who were already fully focused. Surrounded by his family, partners, and team, Nicolas Lunven savored the last moments on land before diving completely into his competitive mindset. Few words were exchanged, but many smiles conveyed the eagerness that animated Nicolas as the start approached. At precisely 10:18 AM, the skipper of Holcim-PRB cast off to head to the starting area located between Lorient and the island of Groix. The following hours were dedicated to final exchanges with the technical team members who remained on board to fine-tune the last details. It was only four minutes before the start procedure that Nicolas found himself alone aboard his IMOCA.

At 1:30 PM local time, the starting gun was fired, releasing the monohulls competing in The Transat CIC, a solo transatlantic race from Lorient to New York. The weather conditions were favorable, with around twelve knots of wind for the first miles of the race, and this should continue through the night, allowing the skipper to confidently settle into the race before tackling more challenging conditions on Tuesday under the influence of a first depression. "This is really ideal weather for a start; it’s always easier than being shaken up right from the beginning," the skipper predicted before leaving dry land.

Regarding strategy, the key for the first hours of the race will be to gain position to the southwest of Ireland, close to the front runners, as options will then begin to emerge with the approach of the first depression, which can be navigated either to the north or the south. "The first night will be calm, perhaps too calm. After that, it will get a bit tougher. Conditions will be challenging on Monday. We will then have a depression to navigate around southwest of Ireland, which isn't straightforward and is still not clearly established. After that, we’ll head west in very demanding conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday."

Though solo, this departure for The Transat CIC also marks an important moment for the technical team of Team Holcim-PRB, signifying the end of their own race. For months, they have worked tirelessly to ensure the boat is 100% ready for their skipper's optimal departure. Nicolas made sure to sincerely thank them before embarking on this new challenge: "I feel very good. I’m happy to be going; I can't wait to get there. The boat is ready. I'm very lucky to have a great team that has worked incredibly hard this winter and right up to the last days to ensure I leave in the best conditions."

After 2 hours of racing, Nicolas Lunven is positioned in the top 5, averaging a speed of 9.9 knots. The monohull is expected to take just under ten days to reach New York, with an estimated arrival around May 7.