Allagrande Mapei Racing
Défi Azimut 2026
16–20 September 2026 · Lorient · IMOCA 60
Ambrogio Beccaria — "Allagrande Mapei"
Défi Azimut 2026 · 16–20 September · First race with the new V3 foils
The race
The Défi Azimut 2026 opened on 16 September with the speed Runs in the Courreaux de Groix: the first direct comparison with the other IMOCAs since the installation of the new V3 foils. Almost flat water, sheltered by the island, flights of nearly a minute. "Allagrande Mapei" finished fifth, in a leaderboard with extremely tight margins.
On 17 September at 15:30, the 48H Azimut started — over 500 miles solo in the Atlantic, with reporter Lorenzo Sironi on board. "Finally a great start in IMOCA," said Ambrogio, despite a cargo ship cutting through the fleet. Straight into the leading group, side by side with "MACIF Santé Prévoyance" in the long southward run ahead of the front. The boat surprised: reaching on the J2, 10% less sail area than the rivals, breathtaking speed.
The turning point came at the southern mark: "MACIF" rounded 200 metres ahead, the J0 furl cost a mile and a half. Then 250 miles of upwind heading north — "the rich get richer": the boat in front finds the new wind first and extends in a way that can't be recovered. Ambrogio held second place from start to finish, all the while discovering a boat far faster than last year. From the Azimut waypoint, the downwind: "Allagrande Mapei" started going really fast. Nobody behind got close. Second place.
Key moments
Speed Runs in the Courreaux de Groix — 5th place
First test of the V3 foils in direct comparison with the other boats. Flights of nearly a minute, wafer-thin margins. "In these conditions the boat seems really super."
©Manon Le Guen
©Jean-Marie Liot
48H start — a cargo ship cuts through the fleet
At 15:30, "Allagrande Mapei" leaves Lorient. A cargo ship crosses the fleet: spectacular from the air, less straightforward for the skippers. Straight into the leading group with "MACIF". Surprising boat: reaching on J2, 10% less canvas than the rivals, breathtaking speed. "The boat was flying."
©Jean-Louis Carli
©Jean-Marie Liot
Match race with "MACIF", the southern mark and the front
Hours of side-by-side sailing towards the southern mark, almost in match race mode. "MACIF" rounds 200 metres ahead. The J0 furl costs a mile and a half. Then the front, the tack and the long upwind north: "MACIF" finds the new wind first. "The rich get richer." Ambrogio works back up, discovering a noticeably faster boat than last year.
©Lorenzo Sironi
©Lorenzo Sironi
250 miles upwind, the downwind run and the finish
Long upwind in fading breeze, then from the Azimut waypoint the long-awaited downwind. "Allagrande Mapei" starts going really fast. Nobody behind gets close. Ambrogio crosses the Lorient finish line in second place. 41 hours — the V3 foils' first real test in ocean conditions: passed.
©Lorenzo Sironi
Tour de Groix — seventh, with Mapei guests on board
The following day, the third and final race: the Tour de Groix, crewed again. Same crew, with Carlos in place of Albi. Seventh overall, but that wasn't really the team's goal: the occasion was perfect to let the Mapei guests on board discover the boat and what offshore sailing feels like. And so ends Ambrogio's first Défi Azimut — above all a chance to test the boat and gather valuable data ahead of the Route du Rhum.
©Lorenzo Sironi
"I'm very happy with this second place. I got a great start, even though that's not really my strong suit, and I managed the race much better than usual. I think I made very few mistakes.
We sailed very close to "MACIF" for a long time, but as soon as the wind dropped a little, Goodchild managed to pull away. In those conditions his boat is impressive — I simply couldn't go any faster.
I'm still learning the boat with its new foils and, honestly, I didn't think it would be possible to sustain these speeds. I'm really having so much fun discovering it. It's exciting to find the right settings every time the sea conditions change, and I put everything into it.
And then, what a pleasure to cross the finish line without breaking anything! The boat is perfect. This race is also a confirmation of all the work the Allagrande Mapei team has done on the boat and gives us a lot of confidence for the rest of the season."
— Ambrogio Beccaria, on arrival in Lorient
©Manon Le Guen
The on-board reporter
On board with Ambrogio for the 41 hours of racing, Lorenzo Sironi, in his first stint on an IMOCA at full foiling speed. Extraordinary images and video produced even in 30 knots of wind, without a hint of seasickness. "I've never drunk so much coffee on board in my life — and there was Lorenzo, coffee on tap," Ambrogio said on arrival.
©Jean-Louis Carli
