Talented skipper for Team Holcim PRB
Kevin Escoffier left the Holcim PRB team after the public prosecutor's office opened an investigation in July 2023 into alleged sexual assault. On Thursday September 14, the team announced the name of its former skipper's replacement. He is Nicolas Lunven, who will be accompanied by Dutchwoman Rosalin Kuiper as co-skipper.
Nicolas Lunven will be the skipper of the Holcim-PRB project for the Vendée Globe 2024. A first he has always wanted to achieve. Talented, he has distinguished himself by winning the Solitaire du Figaro twice, in 2009 and 2017. He has also taken part in The Ocean Race three times. He'll have the chance to take the helm of one of the best-performing IMOCAs on the circuit. And PRB is the only sponsor to have won the solo round-the-world race twice, in 2001 with Michel Desjoyeaux, and in 2005 with Vincent Riou.
Nicolas Lunven explains: "It's obviously a huge honor. The Vendée Globe is becoming a reality for me and, with Holcim-PRB, we are aligned with the ambitions. The challenge is great, but we're going to do everything we can to write the most beautiful page possible on this Vendée Globe."
The skipper's first race under the Holcim-PRB colors will be the transatlantic race Retour à la Base, a qualifier for the Vendée Globe. For the time being, the skipper will be involved in the boatyard, before making the delivery trip to Martinique in early November 2023 with his co-skipper.
A co-skipper who will benefit from Nicolas Lunven's experience
Rosalin Kuiper has taken part in numerous races, including the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, the Fastnet Race, the Middle Sea Race and the Caribbean 600. In 2021, she sailed in The Ocean Race Europe aboard the VO65 AzkoNobel. In The Ocean Race 2022-2023, she was part of Team Malizia. In fact, she was the only woman to take part in all the stages. She will benefit from Nicolas Lunven's know-how in weather, training and performance to continue building up experience before becoming the skipper in 2025 for The Ocean Race Europe.
She details: "All my experiences aboard IMOCA boats have only strengthened my desire to evolve in this environment. My mission in the years to come is to be an ambassador for the Ocean and to promote diversity in ocean racing. Last year, I sailed with Nicolas around the world aboard Team Malizia in The Ocean Race, and I'm really looking forward to sharing this new adventure with him. We get on very well and he's one of the best sailors I've ever sailed with. We're going to build a strong team to prepare for his Vendée Globe and I'm very excited about taking over the role of skipper from 2025 for The Ocean Race Europe."
