Défi Azimut: Sam Goodchild dominates the field

What was billed as a 48-hour race was turned into a true demonstration of dominance by the winner, Sam Goodchild, who completed it in just 39 hours. The skipper won the approximately 550-nautical-mile regatta with a lead of over two hours. Ambrogia Beccaria came second in his “Allagrande Mapei”, one hour ahead of third-placed Jérémie Begou. A third of the field withdrew from the race early.

Kick-off

As early as after the Starts on 17 September Goodchild set the pace with his “Macif Santé Prévoyance”. The skipper took the lead with a good start and was able to control the field from early on. His “Macif” posted the highest speed on the upwind legs after the start, making it difficult for the rest of the fleet to keep up with him. A cargo ship crossing the course just a few minutes after the start provided some dramatic scenes, forcing several skippers to carry out additional manoeuvres.

BXA Passage

After the start, the first leg took the skippers south, passing north of the island of Groix. After 150 nautical miles, the turning point was reached at the BXA buoy off Gironde. The leading group took seven hours to reach the first turning point, maintaining an average speed of over 21 knots on a fast half-wind to downwind course. Immediately after the start, a front approached from the north-west with winds of 18–20 knots; behind it, the wind became more erratic. Some skippers lost touch with the pack due to the front and were forced to let the leading group, led by Goodchild, pull away early. As a result, the field was stretched out considerably. Whilst Beccaria and Goodchild rounded the mark just one minute apart, the last IMOCA reached the first mark already more than six hours behind.

The decision

After rounding the BXA mark at the mouth of the Gironde, the skippers began the longest and most tactically demanding leg of the main race of the Défi Azimut. On their way to the virtual waypoint Azimut 1, some 110 nautical miles west of Penmarc’h, the IMOCA yachts had to tack against the residual swell from the passing weather front. At the same time, the wind was dropping as a high-pressure ridge built up over the course.

For the leaders, this leg proved decisive. Sam Goodchild, in his IMOCA, capitalise on his high close-hauled speed and precisely adjust his course to the shifting pressure zones. What had been a close battle with Ambrogio Beccaria at the BXA mark turned into a clear lead as the night wore on. Goodchild was leading by more than twelve nautical miles on Friday morning and continued to extend this lead on the return leg to Lorient.

Battle for third place

Behind the two fast foilers skippered by Goodchild and Beccaria, the battle for the final podium place was much closer. Jérémie Beyou held his own amongst the leaders with the new hull design of his “Charal” and brought the IMOCA home in third place after 1 day, 18 hours and 19 minutes.

Corentin Horeau finished just 18 minutes behind. Fourth place is nonetheless a strong sign for Horeau. The skipper kept pace with the established frontrunners throughout the entire race and should nevertheless be satisfied with the result. Violette Dorange finished fifth, making her the top woman in the field and confirming her progress in the IMOCA class. She was followed by Élodie Bonafous on the “Association Petits Princes-Quéguiner”.

Five boats have given up

The high-pressure area in the second half of the race mainly affected the boats that had already fallen behind. The skippers had to accept that finishing within the allocated time window was now virtually impossible. Masa Suzuki also reported minor technical problems and decided on Friday evening to return directly to Lorient.

Manuel Cousin (Coup de Pouce), Armel Tripon (Les P’tits Doudous), Pierre-Louis Attwell (Résilient) and Sébastien Marsset (Foussier) also withdrew from the race. The five skippers returned directly to Lorient to preserve their equipment and be able to take part in the final Tour de Groix. The withdrawals were therefore largely a consequence of falling far behind early on and the tight time window for finishing.

The results

Final test before the “Route du Rhum”

The Défi Azimut was the final major test of form ahead of the 2026 Route du Rhum, in which Boris Herrmann with his new “Malizia 4” will be taking part. Goodchild and his “MACIF Santé Prévoyance” team are travelling to Saint-Malo as the side in the best form. Having won the speed runs and the main race, and having demonstrated impressive speed on all courses, he is likely to be a tough opponent to beat.

Nevertheless, the other skippers also made their mark with their IMOCAs. Ambrogio Beccaria showed that he was able to keep up with the winner for a long time. Jérémie Beyou sent a strong message to the competition with the refitted “Charal”, whilst for the other teams, the 48 hours served primarily as a test of equipment and endurance under real solo racing conditions. Armed with a wealth of insights, the skippers are now preparing for the Atlantic race, which begins on 1 November in Saint-Malo.

Book recommendations

Boris Herrmann, seaexplorer introduces readers to the world of professional single-handed ocean sailing and follows Boris Herrmann during the Vendée Globe. This illustrated book conveys what a solo race on the open ocean means for the skipper and the boat: long periods of exertion, decisions under time pressure, and coping with loneliness and the forces of nature. It thus complements the IMOCA perspective of the Route du Rhum with personal experiences from everyday life on the race.

Winning regattas on dinghies and yachts explains the fundamentals of successful racing: sail trim, equipment, wind and currents, tactical decisions, and the psychological side of racing. Unlike a personal account of life at sea, this book provides specific technical and tactical insights. This enables readers to better understand why IMOCA skippers on the Route du Rhum opt for specific routes, manoeuvres and levels of risk.

After this performance, is Sam Goodchild already the clear favourite for the Route du Rhum in your view – or can the competition in Saint-Malo still catch up?