It’s a sunny day in the Solent, and Sam Goodchild is positively beaming as he welcomes me on board his new IMOCA 60. The breeze is light, and although I’m shading disappointment at not seeing the boat fully stretch her legs, nonetheless, the bullet-esque hull, colossal rig and arcing foils are sufficient in themselves to impress as I climb aboard from the RIB.
Recently re-christened For the Planet, the boat sports a smart paint job, disguising her previous identity as LinkedOut – a 2019 Verdier design on which Thomas Ruyant won both the 2021 Transat Jaques Vabre and the 2022 Route du Rhum, and finished sixth in the last Vendée Globe. Now Thomas and Sam have agreed a unique two-boat partnership under the banner of TR Racing; while Ruyant is sailing a new Antoine Koch-Finot Conq designed 2023 IMOCA, For People, Sam will campaign For the Planet.
They have joint support from their respective long-term sponsors, cyber security expert, Advens, and international consultancy firm, Leyton. The two skippers have already begun sharing knowledge to improve performance, collaborating on technical and operational resources.
As a collective, the team also forms a platform
