Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) posted the fastest time of the day, averaging 32.1 knots, setting a new all-time IMOCA record for the Azimut Runs. 80 attempts were completed in just three hours by the 17 IMOCAs taking part! Jérémie Beyou (Charal), sailing a boat fitted with a brand-new hull, and Corentin Horeau (MACSF), making his Défi Azimut debut, completed the podium.

After a slow start to the time trials, with the fleet sailing in very light conditions, the pace picked up about an hour after the line opened. As promised, on the Lorient racecourse, which was packed with the 17 IMOCA boats gathered for the Azimut Runs, the wind gradually strengthened offshore from Groix, and the race for the fastest times was in full swing.

After a combined total of 80 attempts, the honours of the day went to Sam Goodchild, who, just as he did last year, claimed victory in the opening act of the Défi Azimut aboard MACIF Santé Prévoyance. Better still, the Franco-British skipper went one step further by beating the time set in 2023 by Jérémie Beyou aboard Charal, in ideal wind and sea conditions that allowed these cutting-edge technological marvels, constantly being developed and refined, to show their full potential.

At around 3 p.m., after an initial series of time-trial attempts that favoured the six remaining daggerboard boats holding their own against the foilers, the gusts accompanying the arrival of the sea breeze dramatically changed the picture. The IMOCAs fitted with appendages designed to lift them clear of the water began to take off. Their ability to accelerate was impressive. The fleet put on quite a show: every extra breath of wind allowed these flying machines to power up, their bows throwing up spray as they switched into rocket mode.

Improving and putting on a show: the magic formula of the runs
With 14 to 18 knots of wind, the quickest boats to lift clear of the water provided spectacular viewing. From newcomers such as Groupe Dubreuil-Air Caraïbes (Sébastien Simon), launched just this summer, to Charal, Jérémie Beyou’s boat, which has emerged from an extensive refit with a new hull, these crewed sprints provide a valuable opportunity to work on settings and improve flight stability.

It is a challenge that all the skippers willingly embrace, while giving their guests some extraordinary sensations. Throughout this festival of high-speed runs, Corentin Horeau, who has taken over Yoann Richomme’s former boat under the MACSF colours, made an impressive debut.

With seven attempts under his belt, the 2023 Solitaire du Figaro winner, approaching this Défi Azimut with the humility of someone embarking on a long learning curve, showed that he will have to be reckoned with on the circuit. Behind him, the battle was incredibly tight: Initiatives-Cœur (Violette Dorange), Association Petits Princes-Quéguiner (Élodie Bonafous) and Les P’tits Doudous (Armel Tripon) occupied 7th, 8th and 9th places, separated only by their second-fastest run, with all three averaging more than 25 knots.

It promises to be an exciting continuation!

The skippers tell their story

Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) — Fastest time
“I don’t know if there’s a recipe, but the boat is fantastic and the team is fantastic, so that’s a pretty good recipe. Honestly, I’m absolutely delighted to have won the runs again, and incredibly proud of this boat and this team, who have done a fantastic job. If we could have ordered a perfect day for the runs, this would have been it. Wind, not too much sea — it was ideal. We’re happy because, apparently, we’ve just completed the fastest run in Azimut history, which is pretty cool.”

Corentin Horeau (MACSF) — Third-fastest time
“I said this morning that it would all come down to the final run, and we waited until the very last moment before setting off. We got the boat perfectly dialled in and the timing was good. We were above 30 knots pretty much the whole time, but towards the end of the leg we had to bear away hard to avoid a RIB, so we ended up with 29.8 knots. But it’s not a big deal. We’ll always take a podium. The team worked incredibly hard — there was quite a lot of shouting because it gets very noisy at these speeds — but the atmosphere was great and everyone is happy.”

Élodie Bonafous (Association Petits Princes-Quéguiner) — Joint 7th
“It was incredible, full-on sensations. The partners absolutely loved it — we definitely have some new IMOCA fans! Everything happened so fast. We would have loved to keep going for hours, to have more time to look at the settings and improve even further. I think the top speeds from the competition are a real challenge. I believe MACSF is setting the benchmark. That’s a great target to aim for!”