MACIF Santé Prévoyance Wins
For Goodchild, who had only just stepped off Biotherm after playing a key role in their overall win at The Ocean Race Europe, it was the perfect encore. Teaming up with Berrehar, he took on the light-wind, tactical Azimut 48 Hours and emerged with the win in Lorient, a city long known as the beating heart of French offshore racing.
A Race of Patience and Precision
The 307-nautical mile course may not sound long by IMOCA standards, but the conditions made it grueling. Winds rarely climbed above 10–12 knots, and for long stretches the fleet drifted through flat water with sails barely drawing. Concentration was everything—constant trimming, endless tweaks, and a battle of nerves.
Goodchild and Berrehar, sailing a boat already steeped in history—winner of the last Vendée Globe under Charlie Dalin—showed why MACIF Santé Prévoyance is widely considered one of the most finely tuned weapons in the IMOCA fleet. After an indifferent start, they clawed into the lead and never looked back.
“This boat is just an incredible weapon,” said Goodchild at the dock. “We’re still learning her, but every day we get stronger. Jean-Yves Gau, our boat captain, reminded us as we stepped ashore—this is the fifth consecutive race win for MACIF. That says it all.”
Teamwork-Team SNEF and Charal Fight for the Podium
Second place went to Justine Mettraux and Xavier Macaire on Teamwork-Team SNEF. For Mettraux, one of Switzerland’s finest offshore sailors, the result was a welcome return to the front of the pack. They had led early before gear issues slowed their pace, but managed to hold off Charal, skippered by Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière, by just a single minute at the line.
“It was light, unstable, and you couldn’t switch off for a second,” Mettraux admitted. “We even had a tack line failure on the J0, so to hang onto second in those conditions feels fantastic. This race has given us confidence as we prepare for the Transat Café L’OR.”
Café Joyeux Makes a Mark
One of the stories of the event was Café Joyeux, sailed by Nicolas D’Estais of France and Swiss co-skipper Simon Koster. Racing a veteran daggerboard IMOCA once campaigned by François Gabart, they pushed hard for the podium and eventually finished fourth.
“This boat is like a big Mini,” D’Estais laughed afterwards, reflecting on his roots in the Mini Transat. “Everything’s heavier—the sails, the ropes—but she just keeps moving in conditions where foilers stall. For us, this race was about proving the project works. We’ve only had six sails on her, so to be fighting at the front is a great start.”
From Lorient to the World Stage
While the Défi Azimut celebrated innovation and close racing in Brittany, the weekend also echoed with results from Montenegro. There, Paul Meilhat’s Biotherm—a team where Goodchild had sailed as navigator for most of the race—clinched overall victory in The Ocean Race Europe.
Behind them, Paprec Arkéa, skippered by Yoann Richomme, secured second overall, edging out Team Holcim-PRB skippered by Rosalin Kuiper. Team Malizia, under Boris Herrmann, took fourth, just ahead of Ambrogio Beccaria’s Allagrande Mapei Racing. The final places went to Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive, led by Scott Shawyer, and Team Amaala, skippered by Alan Roura.
Why the Défi Azimut Matters
For IMOCA teams, the Défi Azimut – Lorient Agglomération is more than just another race. It’s a benchmark ahead of the Transat and the Vendée Globe, a chance to test boats, refine crew work, and measure up against rivals in conditions that demand skill rather than brute speed.
This year’s edition underlined what many already knew: MACIF Santé Prévoyance is the boat to beat. With Goodchild and Berrehar now fully integrated, and Dalin’s legacy of relentless performance behind them, the boat looks poised for more glory on the international stage.
As Goodchild put it, with a wry smile: “We’re just getting started.”