Next Gen and safe bets

One of the highlights of this Défi Azimut 2026 will be the new boats expected to line up for the start. These include Groupe Dubreuil, which Sébastien Simon has had built at the experienced British yard Carrington Boats, as well as DMG Mori Global One made in Brittany at Multiplast for Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi. The former will have only just been launched and the latter is due to take part in the transatlantic sprint The Ocean Race Atlantic in early September and very much hopes to make it back to Lorient on time and fighting fit! 
In any case, these two post-Vendée Globe 2024-generation Verdier designs are the first of this next gen to compete in an IMOCA competition. 

With their flared hull forms inspired by the America’s Cup’s AC 75s, suffice to say that all eyes will be on their take-off speed in the Runs. The same is true for Jérémie Beyou’s Charal, triple-winner of the Défi, which was invincible in the breezy downwind conditions during the Transat Café L’Or, and boasts a new underbody designed to take-off earlier in a medium breeze. 

“The playing field has changed since the start of the season thanks to the arrival of some new boats, explains Elodie Bonafous, who has clearly got the measure of her Verdier design Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner. With her sights on the top five in Lorient, the young woman is among the class’ rising stars and poised to challenge its key players, that include Macif Santé Prévoyance skippered by Briton Sam Goodchild, winner of the Défi Azimut 2025, as well as Allagrande Mapei helmed by Italian Ambrogio Beccaria, who managed to turn things around in the closing miles of the Vendée Arctique to pocket victory. “You need a bit of luck on your side to win!” admits the sailor, now a firm fixture in Brittany, who has been drawing on the impressive network of resources and expertise in Sailing Valley since his victory in the Mini-Transat 2019 and has headed a series of highly successful campaigns. The first races of the season have also brought to the fore some standout performances by some of the relative underdogs, including Corentin Horeau on MACSF (ex Paprec Arkea), though he modestly describes himself as ‘still in the learning phase’ in terms of managing a team and handling the inherent risks of these powerful IMOCA machines. “To my mind, the timing of the Défi Azimut is spot on in this first season,” comments the winner of the Solitaire du Figaro 2025.

Finally, it is important to note that at least four IMOCAs with daggerboards are intending to compete in Lorient, with Café Joyeux emerging as the natural leader. Making his IMOCA debut in last year’s Défi Azimut no less, skipper Nicolas d’Estais has shown that he knows how to get the best out of the legendary VPLP Verdier design, which triumphed in the Vendée Globe 2015. One to watch, this pairing may well leave a few foilers in its wake!