Nico Lunven in the Vendée Globe: Giving it his all, Nicolas Lunven's mantra aboard Holcim-PRB

Nicolas Lunven on Holcim-PRB - Vendée Globe 2024 © Adrien Nivet / polaRYSE

Holcim-PRB continues its progress towards Les Sables d'Olonne. The blue and green monohull still has about a week of racing left before entering the legendary channel of Les Sables d'Olonne.

While Nicolas Lunven admits he's beginning to think about that moment, he remains fully focused on his race, as he has been for the past 67 days. "I'm still pushing hard. The finish is starting to feel closer, and I'm thinking a lot about it. A week is both a lot and not much. It's little compared to what I've already covered, but it's a lot because many things can still happen. I must avoid making mistakes and stay focused," explains Nicolas.

He knows the remaining 2,400 miles won't be a smooth ride. A low-pressure system has formed ahead of the group Holcim-PRB is part of, alongside Sam Goodchild (Vulnérable), Jérémie Beyou (Charal), and Paul Meilhat (Biotherm). The skippers expect tough conditions after passing the Azores.

"We still have two to three days of sailing in the northeast trade winds, up to the latitude of the Canary Islands, where we'll encounter a ridge of high pressure, a windless zone. After that, we'll pick up a northwest flow linked to a powerful low-pressure system circulating in the North Atlantic. This depression will pass between the Azores and Cape Finisterre, making conditions more challenging. The positive point is that the weather models have aligned regarding the center's position. We should be able to stay on a downwind course and round it from the south and east, which is a good thing. Hopefully, it stays that way! However, the wind will be strong, around 45 to 50 knots, with waves reaching 8 to 9 meters," analyzes Nicolas, who remains extremely vigilant, determined not to make any mistakes as he nears the end of his first solo, nonstop, and unassisted round-the-world race. "I'll have to find the right balance between optimizing my route and preserving the boat, as the gear inevitably wears out. The goal is not to break everything during the final week and jeopardize the entire race," he added.

Every positioning choice will be crucial in these final days, offering chances to catch up with his competitors. The constant threat of technical failures also looms large. Two days ago, Paul Meilhat reported a broken forestay. Today, Boris Herrmann (Malizia) revealed images of a damaged port foil following a collision. Nicolas confirms that the boats are wearing out, and with the conditions ahead, it's vital to have a vessel in top shape. On board Holcim-PRB, the skipper carefully monitors every detail, questions his decisions, reflects, and constantly adjusts the settings to gain precious miles. "There's a lot of self-questioning to ensure I'm not missing anything," concludes Nicolas, determined to stay sharp until he crosses the finish line.