Sam
GOODCHILD

He was only 18 years old when the British sailor sailed down the famous channel in Les Sables d'Olonne with Mike Golding, who set off for his first Vendée Globe. It was then that he decided that one day he too would sail around the world single-handed on an IMOCA boat.

Sam Goodchild grew up on a boat with his family until the age of 7. Over the next twenty years, he specialized in offshore racing, competing both in crewed and solo events. In 2005, he joined the teams of Alex Thomson, and then Mike Golding, gaining solid experience alongside some of the best British sailors.

In 2010, he joined the Artemis Offshore Academy, a program designed to launch young British talents onto the Figaro circuit. He made his debut in this demanding class, while also exploring other racing platforms over the years: Class40, Ultim, Figaro, Ocean Fifty... It was with the Ocean Fifty class, and notably aboard the trimaran Leyton, that he truly made his mark, winning the Pro Sailing Tour 2021. During the last Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, he was forced to retire after injuring his back on the trimaran.

In 2023, Kevin Escoffier called him up to join The Ocean Race aboard Holcim-PRB. Sam participated in the first three legs, gaining valuable experience on the IMOCA boats. Just days after returning from Brazil, he launched his own IMOCA, "FOR THE PLANET", formerly LinkedOut, and began his first double-handed season alongside Antoine Koch. He delivered an impressive performance and went on to win the IMOCA Globe Series 2023, becoming the circuit champion.

At the start of 2024, TRRacing, which supports the projects of both Thomas Ruyant and Sam Goodchild, launched an impactful campaign with a strong message: "We are all vulnerable." To support this social and environmental cause, the two IMOCA boats were named "Vulnerable".

Under his new colors, Sam suffered a demasting during the New York - Vendée, just four months before the Vendée Globe start. Thanks to his team's quick response, a new mast was swiftly installed,

In 2025, Sam Goodchild was called up to replace Charlie Dalin on MACIF Santé Prévoyance during the Course des Caps. That same year, he took part in The Ocean Race Europe with Biotherm, which he won. These numerous victories in 2025 allowed him to finish as the winner of the 2025 IMOCA Globe Series!

Meanwhile, the MACIF team announced that Sam would be the team’s next skipper for 2026, and that they are building a new IMOCA in preparation for the 2028 Vendée Globe.