Every September, the Défi Azimut heralds the start of the autumn season for the IMOCA class. This year this three-act event will provide a showcase for the new generation of IMOCAs making their competitive debut.
The lineup features a range of new faces, some with new boats and ambitious aspirations. These newcomers will face stiff opposition from the established star players. With the event set to bring together the biggest IMOCA fleet since the start of the season, all eyes will be on the action at Brittany’s offshore racing hub, Lorient La Base from September 15 to 20.
Kicking off with a day of spectacular speed runs, followed by a singlehanded 48-hour offshore sprint, the event will culminate with the fully-crewed Tour de Groix Island race.
Along with the on-the-water action, an array of meetings and conferences with the industry’s leaders will shine a spotlight on the French offshore racing ecosystem. Created in 2011 by Jean-Marie Corteville, President of Azimut, the Défi Azimut Lorient Agglomération format, has consistently managed to stand the test of time.
Between 15 and 20 skippers are expected to compete in what will be the final clash before the main event of 2026 –the Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe singlehanded transatlantic race.
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. Significantly, these two post-Vendée Globe 2024 Verdier designs are the first of this next generation boats to compete in an IMOCA regatta.
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 speed runs. The same will be 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 underwater profile that is 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 La Défi, 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 claim an unexpected victory.
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 designs.
At least four non-foiling daggerboard IMOCAs are expected to compete – with Nicolas d’Estais' Café Joyeux tapped as the most likely frontrunner. Making his IMOCA debut in last year’s Défi Azimut d'Estais has proved he knows how to get the best out of the legendary VPLP Verdier design, which triumphed in the Vendée Globe 2015.
The Figaro class will also join the action at the 2026 Défi Azimut Lorient Agglomération. The careers of lauded IMOCA skippers such as Corentin Horeau, Nicolas Lunven, Jérémie Beyou, Sébastien Simon, Violette Dorange, and Elodie Bonafous - to name just a few - began with success on the Figaro circuit, so it feels appropriate that inviting up-and-coming offshore sailors have been invited to take part in the Tour de Groix aboard their Beneteau Figaro yachts.
IMOCA entries:
Fabrice Amedeo - FDJ United - Ocean Calling
Pierre‑Louis Attwell - Résilient
Ambrogio Beccaria - Allagrande MAPEI
Davy Beaudart - Bureau Vallée
Jérémie Beyou - Charal
Élodie Bonafous - Association Petits Princes - Quéguiner
Manuel Cousin - Coup de Pouce
Violette Dorange - Initiatives‑Cœur
Nicolas d’Estais - Café Joyeux
Maël Garnier - Ruban Rose - tbc
Sam Goodchild - MACIF Santé Prévoyance
Corentin Horeau - MACSF
Sébastien Marsset - FOUSSIER
Paul Meilhat - NC - à confirmer
Scott Shawyer - Canada Ocean Racing - tbc
Kojiro Shiraishi - DMG MORI Global One - tbc
Sébastien Simon - Groupe Dubreuil - tbc
Masa Suzuki - tbc
Armel Tripon - Les P’tits Doudous
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The International 49er Class Association, in collaboration with the Royal Yacht Club Hollandia and the Dutch High Performance Sailing Classes, announces the current entry list for the 2026 Junior World Championships in the 49er, 49erFX, 49erFX Open, and Nacra 17 classes.
The event will take place from July 19 to 26, 2026 at Medemblik in the Netherlands, and currently has 115 teams from more than 25 countries entered. Registration remains open, and the fleet is expected to grow further as the event approaches.
By hosting the 2026 Junior World Championships, the DHPSC and Stichting 9er Events reaffirm their ambition to establish the Netherlands as a leading international hub for high-performance sailing.
To secure and organize major international events, the DHPSC operates its own dedicated foundation: Stichting 9er Events. The foundation's mission is to promote skiff sailing in general and competitive sailing within the international 29er, 49er, and other high-performance classes in particular. In addition, it focuses on organizing prestigious international championships, including
World Championships on the IJsselmeer off the coast of Medemblik.
The Dutch High Performance Sailing Classes (DHPSC) is the official class association in the Netherlands for the 29er, 49er, 49erFX, Nacra 15, and Nacra 17 classes. The association encourages and supports talented young sailors in their development towards the international elite and the (Youth) Olympic sailing classes. In cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Watersports Association, the DHPSC offers a comprehensive training and racing programme for youth and young adult sailors.
High-performance sailing has become an integral part of modern competitive sailing. It is showcased in events such as the America's Cup, SailGP, the former Extreme 40 Series, and The Ocean Race. This spectacular discipline represents the future of the sport.
Current entries per class:
49er: 55 teams
49erFX: 28 teams
49erFX Open: 13 teams
Nacra 17: 19 teams
What happens when the sport you've dedicated your life to is suddenly taken away?
In this documentary, British Sailing Team athlete Dani Fusco shares her extraordinary journey from elite rowing to Olympic-class sailing through the Crew4Gold programme.
Forced to leave behind the path she had always envisioned, Dani faced the challenge of starting again in a completely new sport — learning to sail from scratch while chasing the dream of representing Great Britain on the world's biggest stage.
Through exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes access, and on-the-water action from Weymouth and Portland, this film explores the resilience, determination and belief required to reinvent yourself when life takes an unexpected turn.
More than a story about sport, this is a story about finding purpose, embracing change, and proving that it's never too late to chart a new course.
Subscribe to the British Sailing Team for more athlete stories, behind-the-scenes content, and the journey towards Olympic success.
Thursday's penultimate day of the International Dragon European Championship in Helsinki, Finland tested competitors with light and unpredictable conditions.
After an overnight forecast of rain and unstable northerly winds, sailors arrived to a grey morning with just 5–8 knots of breeze and the promise that conditions would fade throughout the afternoon. The Race Committee planned two races but made it clear that completing even one would be a challenge.
The first start sequence was abandoned after a brief increase in breeze brought a right-hand shift, leaving the start line uneven. Race Officer Stuart Childerley reset the pin to better match the new wind direction, but as the fleet regrouped another small shift – this time to the left – changed the picture once again.
The most alert crews immediately abandoned the committee boat in favour of the pin end, knowing they would need to tack onto port almost straight after the start to exploit the shift.
With just one day of racing left the overall leaderboard remains exceptionally tight. The European title looks set to decided by a three-way battle for the top spot between Michael Zankel's POR90 Easy, Ivan Bradbury's GBR375 Blue Haze, and Martin Pàlsson's SWE416 Nono.
Friday's forecast calls for another day of light winds and there is a chance of rain. Patience, precision and tactical discipline are likely to determine who ultimately ends up lifting the International Dragon European Championship trophy.
