MACIF Santé Prévoyance Claims Victory in the 1000 Race

The 2026 1000 Race marked a successful start to the IMOCA solo season for Sam Goodchild, who secured an impressive victory aboard MACIF Santé Prévoyance after leading the fleet from the opening stages of the race. The result confirms both the skipper’s strong adaptation to his new campaign and the continued competitiveness of the Guillaume Verdier-designed IMOCA.

Covering approximately 1,000 nautical miles across the Bay of Biscay, around Fastnet Rock and back to Brittany, the race offered a demanding mix of weather conditions and tactical decisions. Throughout the course, MACIF Santé Prévoyance consistently demonstrated the balanced performance that has characterised the project since its launch.

A Design Built for Consistency

Success in offshore racing is rarely the result of outright speed alone.

A winning IMOCA must combine performance with reliability, allowing the skipper to maintain a high average speed while remaining in control through changing weather and sea states.

Designed by Guillaume Verdier in close collaboration with MerConcept and the MACIF team, MACIF Santé Prévoyance was developed around this philosophy. Every aspect of the yacht—from hull geometry and appendages to weight distribution and ergonomics—was conceived as part of an integrated performance package capable of delivering consistent results over both short offshore races and the world’s longest solo events.

Confirming the Potential of the Platform

Designed by Guillaume Verdier for Charlie Dalin, MACIF Santé Prévoyance has already established itself as one of the benchmark IMOCA yachts of its generation. Following Dalin’s historic Vendée Globe victory, the boat now begins a new chapter with Sam Goodchild, whose success in the 1000 Race further confirms the strength and versatility of the design.

Winning the 1000 Race also provides valuable confirmation ahead of the season’s major offshore events. Beyond the result itself, the race offered another opportunity to validate the yacht’s performance across a wide range of conditions and to continue refining the platform through real-world competition.

Design Proven at Sea

Every offshore race contributes to the ongoing development of a racing yacht.

Data collected during competition, together with feedback from the skipper and technical team, provides invaluable insights that continue to improve understanding of performance, handling and reliability.

For Guillaume Verdier Design, victories such as the 1000 Race represent more than a sporting achievement—they demonstrate the value of an integrated design approach where naval architecture, engineering and practical sailing experience come together to produce yachts capable of performing at the highest level of offshore racing.