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 he was 7 years old. For the next 20 years he specialised in ocean racing, sailing on both solo and crewed projects. In 2005, he joined Alex Thomson's team, then Mike Golding's.
In 2010, he joined the Artemis Offshore Academy, which was created to launch young British sailors. He is now doing his first Figaro season. This British sailor often changes supports, from Class40 to Ultim, from Figaro to Ocean Fifty. It is on this last support that he posted some great victories and made his place in ocean racing, notably on Leyton, where he won the Pro Sailing Tour 2021. During the last Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe, he injured himself on the column of his trimaran and quickly abandoned.
In 2023, Kevin Escoffier called him to participate in The Ocean Race on Holcim-PRB. So Sam took part in the first three legs, from Alicante to Itajaí via the South Seas, the equivalent of three-quarters of a round-the-world race. The experience gained was enormous for the British sailor who was just starting out in a 60-foot boat.
Just a few days after returning from Brazil, Sam Goodchild launched his IMOCA "FOR THE PLANET", ex-LinkedOut. The skipper, who intends to line up at the start of the Vendée Globe in 2024, is putting all the chances on his side, as in parallel to the stages of The Ocean Race, he will also be taking part in all the double-handed races, this time on his boat, with Antoine Koch.
2023: Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race - 3rd (FOR THE PLANET)
The Ocean Race - Holcim-PRB
2022: Dhream Cup - Winner (Ocean Fifty)
1000 milles des Sables - Winner (Ocean Fifty)
Pro Sailing Tour - 2nd (Ocean Fifty)
Route du Rhum - Retired due to injury (Ocean Fifty)
2021: Pro Sailing Tour - Winner (Ocean Fifty)
Transat Jacques Vabre - 3rd (Ocean Fifty)
2020: Dhream Cup - Winner (Figaro)
Solo Maître Coq - 2nd (Figaro)
2019: Transat Jacques Vabre - 2nd (Class40)
Rolex Fastnet Race - 3rd (Ultim)
2018: 1000 milles des Sables - 2nd (Class40)
Route du Rhum - abandoned after dismasting (Class40)
2015 : Transat Jacques Vabre
2014 : Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race
La Solitaire
2013 : La Solitaire
RORC Carabean 600
Round Gotland Race
2012 : Normandy Channel Race
La Solitaire
Transat AG2R
Solo Figaro Massif Marine
2011 : Tour de Bretagne
Solo Basse Normandie
La Solitaire
Leg 2 Global Ocean Race
Transat Jacques Vabre
La Transmanche
2010 : Round Britain and Ireland Race