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Thirty-four years of history on every ocean
The announcement comes as no surprise, but it sounds like a thunderclap in the world of ocean racing. HolcimâeurosPRB, emblematic sponsor of the IMOCA class, has confirmed the end of its sailing sponsorship commitment. The IMOCA HolcimâeurosPRB, due to be launched in 2022, is now up for sale. Above all, this withdrawal marks the end of a saga that began in 1991 with the first boat entrusted to Jean-Yves Hasselin for the 1992 Vendée Globe.
Those were the days of aluminum hulls, sextants and tiller bars. PRB, a building materials company based in Vendée, was an early investor in the human and technological potential of ocean sailing. The brand quickly became a benchmark on the circuit. And it will remain so.
Outstanding skippers and two Vendée Globe victories
Behind the letters PRB, there have been some outstanding figures in solo racing: Isabelle Autissier an inspiring pioneer ; Michel Desjoyeaux winner in 2001; Vincent Riou winner in 2005, and many other faces of this generation of ocean racers. We also remember the retirement of Kevin Escoffier on the last Vendée Globe, victim of a spectacular wreck south of the Indian Ocean.
Bought out by the Swiss group Holcim in 2022, PRB had nevertheless continued its sailing commitment. The partnership enabled Nicolas Lunven to finish 6th in the Vendée Globe 2024-2025 at the helm of the IMOCA HolcimâeurosPRB. The same boat was then entrusted to Rosalin Kuiper for a crewed circumnavigation of Europe, with a fine second place in The Ocean Race Europe.
A heavy context and a programmed end
But since the Escoffier affair, linked to accusations of sexual assault in 2023, the program had lost its serenity. Despite a change of skipper, the sponsor never really regained the initial momentum. Added to this is an economic reality well known to those involved in the circuit: the most competitive IMOCA campaigns now exceed budget thresholds deemed too high by some companies.
Holcim and PRB have therefore chosen to " develop their sponsorship strategy "according to the official press release. The boat, a Verdier design built in England by Carrington Boats, is now for sale.
HolcimâeurosPRB makes a discreet but symbolic start for a sponsor that has spanned three decades of storms, podiums and human stories.
