Goodchild excited to race on home waters in The Ocean Race Europe

South Wales Argus

11 hours ago

The 35-year-old, who lives in France but calls Falmouth home, is representing Team Biotherm in the 4,500-nautical mile multi-stage offshore race which began in Kiel this week and ends in Montenegro on September 20.
The opening leg of the contest docks in Portsmouth on August 14, with the race departing from the Royal Yacht Squadron for leg two three days later.
'I'm definitely excited,' said Goodchild, who is joined in the boat by skipper Paul Meilhat, co-skipper Amelie Grassi, Jack Bouttell and Gauthier Le Boc.
'I have spent a lot of my racing life in France, as that is where the offshore racing world is based, but bringing these really cool boats which we sail around the world into Portsmouth is really exciting.
'I will catch up with some old faces and show them what we do, so I'm really looking forward to it and I am hoping there will be a good turnout!'
Sam Goodchild will race in The Ocean Race Europe with Team Biotherm (Image: The Ocean Race Europe) Goodchild is one of seven Brits competing in the race this year but there are no UK-based teams, something he hopes can soon change.
'I enjoy France but I live out there for work,' he said. 'I have been over there for the last 10 years for sailing. 'I come back regularly and I still consider the UK home but being over there helps my career the most.
'If we can have more interest in sailing, more people sailing and more British sailors on the start line, that is definitely the direction I want it to go in.'
Goodchild was part of the crew who finished second in The Ocean Race two years ago, a worldwide event.
He feels he learned plenty from that experience as he targets success this time around. 'Two years ago, it was my first time sailing those sorts of boats so it was a learning curve,' he said.
'The race lasted six months as opposed to six weeks so it was a bit more of an endurance. 'This time, I have been racing in these sorts of boats for the last three or four years non-stop, which changes the whole scenario, so I am looking forward to the challenge.
'Of the seven crews here, they all have good sailors on and the level of competition will be very high, which is what we are looking for.'
Sustainability is one of the key aspects of The Ocean Race Europe and it is also a topic close to the heart of Goodchild, who is aware of the impact taking part in a sport he loves can have on the climate.
'The whole team makes an effort as to what we can do to reduce our impact,' he said. 'We travel around Europe, which isn't great, but we try and do it by train, which takes a bit longer but it is nicer and more interesting.
"In partnership with the Tara Foundation, we have also installed a microscope on board to capture microplankton for use by scientists (Eco Taxa Database), who then use and analyse the data.
'It is a big part of our sport at the moment, what we can do to reduce our impact, so we all have to do our bit.'
Seven international teams, seven stopovers, 4,500 nautical miles, racing for the ocean. The Ocean Race Europe comes to Portsmouth 14 - 17 August - the city where the race first began in 1973 as the Whitbread Round the World Race.