MACIF Santé Prévoyance wins the Course des Caps Race
by IMOCA MACIF 5 Jul 18:29 BST
5 July 2025
Victory for MACIF Santé Prévoyance in the Course des Caps © Jean-Louis Carli / Course des Caps
This Saturday, July 5, the IMOCA MACIF Santé Prévoyance crossed the finish line of the Course des Cape Race in Boulogne-sur-Mer in first place. After six days at sea, the crew achieved an exceptional performance in terms of speed and focus throughout the race.
On board, Sam Goodchild, Loïs Berrehar, Charlotte Yven, and Guillaume Combescure sailed with precision, energy, and determination, maintaining constant pressure at the front of the fleet. It took them 6 days, 1 hour, 10 minutes, 45 seconds to cover the 1,800 miles that took them around Ireland and the British Isles.
MACIF Santé Prévoyance at the helm for 1,200 miles!
It was in the Celtic Sea that the pace picked up. There, MACIF Santé Prévoyance took the reins of the race. The Fastnet lighthouse was passed in the lead, in a more stable downwind breeze. Then came the passage of the Skellig Islands, where the crew consolidated their lead. From then on, the IMOCA was underway and the gap widened to more than 40 miles off the Hebrides, northwest of Scotland! MACIF Santé Prévoyance deployed all its power, averaging over 25 knots on certain sections. The race then took on a new dimension. But behind them, nothing was set in stone. The pursuers clung on, and Vulnérable, just behind, gave them no respite. During the tricky passage of Papa Westray and Ronalsay, at the northern tip of the Orkney Islands, the MACIF Santé Prévoyance crew continued their momentum, perfectly focused and aware that nothing is ever a foregone conclusion. Shortly after, off the coast of Aberdeen, the race took a turn when a technical issue forced Thomas Ruyant and his team to retire.
MACIF, a step ahead of its pursuers
Behind them, the fleet is livening up, the gaps are closing, and the descent towards the English Channel is becoming an intense chase. The crew must skillfully slalom between cargo ships and sandbanks, while monitoring the DSTs and managing wind variations. In this final stretch, MACIF Santé Prévoyance shows no sign of weakening. The cohesion on board, the mutual trust, and the fluidity of the maneuvers: these are all assets which, combined with the pure performance of the IMOCA, winner of the last Vendée Globe, allowed the crew to maintain the advantage until the end. The final leg at the entrance to the Strait of Dover is proving particularly tiring, with a strengthening southwesterly wind, making each tack very demanding.
1,800 miles covered (instead of the planned 2,000), 1,200 miles spent in the lead, a trajectory held with consistency and commitment, and a line cut as the undisputed leader. MACIF Santé Prévoyance brilliantly won this first Race of the Capes. A founding victory for the project and the Sam Goodchild / Loïs Berrehar duo in preparation for the Transat Café L’OR!
They said:
Sam Goodchild, skipper:
"Six weeks ago, we didn't know we'd be sailing together, so I'm just incredibly proud and honored that we were able to win the race and honor Charlie Dalin, who isn't here today. It was a lot of pressure to think we were on the boat that just won the Vendée Globe, but I'm incredibly proud to have done it with this team. We're four people with four completely different profiles and experiences, but we managed to work together and perform while having fun. I think we can be proud. It's truly a team effort, and I'm proud to be part of this team."
Loïs Berrehar, co-skipper:
"This boat is fantastic. I'd already had a taste of it last year, but now, discovering it in a race, with a crew... it's truly amazing! The story is also really cool on a human level. It was a wonderful mix on board, with quite different backgrounds. It really creates a shared experience. We were under pressure with the regatta, we went through a lot of emotions... but it was truly enriching!"
Charlotte Yven, crew member:
"I'm incredibly happy to have been able to take part in my first IMOCA race on MACIF Santé Prévoyance. And now, I'm also the winner of the Course des Caps! Experiencing all this with Macif is a credit to Charlie, his boat, and his team..."
Guillaume Combescure, Technical Director and Crew Member:
"I'm delighted because we spent hours and hours training. But now, in a race, seeing the skippers' ability to push the boat was truly impressive for me. We went through many phases: calm times, frustration, excitement, speed, fear, and now we've finished with a victory; it's incredible."