Three events, and a single winner for this 2026 edition: from September 14 to 20 in Lorient, Sam Goodchild and MACIF Santé Prévoyance swept the Défi Azimut 2026, taking wins in the Speed Runs, the 48 Hours, and the Tour de Groix. More than just a season-opening trophy haul, this clean sweep offers a valuable indicator two years out from the round-the-world race.
Vendée Globe 2028: All-Round Consistency Puts Sam Goodchild Among the Early Favorites
The key takeaway is the consistency shown across three very different disciplines. In the Speed Runs, MACIF Santé Prévoyance posted the fastest time ever recorded by an IMOCA over this course, averaging more than 32 knots. In the 48 Hours — a long, strategy-driven format — Sam Goodchild pulled more than 30 miles clear of Ambrogio Beccaria (Allagrande Mapei). Then, in the light, technical conditions of the Tour de Groix, the same pairing kept the upper hand. This ability to dominate across every wind intensity is exactly what separates the true favorites from the outsiders on a months-long solo round-the-world race.
Défi Azimut 2026: Ambrogio Beccaria Solid Over the Long Haul, Still a Work in Progress in Light Air
Runner-up in the 48 Hours by more than two hours, Ambrogio Beccaria confirmed his ability to hold pace over long formats, following a grueling Vendée Arctique for his boat — a race he nonetheless won. But his seventh-place finish in the Tour de Groix, well behind Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), Corentin Horeau (MACSF), and Pierre-Louis Attwell (Resilient), points to a still-incomplete profile in light, technical conditions — a gap that could prove costly on a round-the-world route full of transition zones.
Vendée Globe: Daggerboard Boats Are Still in the Game
In 7 to 8 knots of wind, Resilient, Pierre-Louis Attwell's daggerboard IMOCA, finished third in the Tour de Groix, ahead of several foilers — with three daggerboard boats among the top six. A useful signal: in light air, the technological gap between generations of boats can momentarily disappear.
Vendée Globe 2028: Reliability Is the Blind Spot to Watch
Five retirements out of fourteen competitors in the 48 Hours, in what were still summer conditions — a figure the organizers themselves called unusual — a reminder that gear failure isn't only a risk in heavy weather.
Another storyline to follow: Sébastien Simon's new IMOCA, launched in August 2026 just weeks before the Défi Azimut, completed its first race and showed promising potential, despite the pairing's still-limited time sailing together.
At the end of this week in Lorient, the pecking order is clear: MACIF Santé Prévoyance and Sam Goodchild head into the Route du Rhum, and then into Vendée Globe 2028 preparations, as the designated favorites, with Ambrogio Beccaria the most credible challenger — though not yet the most complete.
The next checkpoint comes in late November, after the Route du Rhum — the first solo race for most skippers since the season restarted, and so the first real test of endurance — for a clearer read on where things truly stand. The road to the Vendée Globe 2028 is still long, and nothing is settled yet.
