# Le Défi Azimut

Le Défi Azimut (French for "The Azimut challenge") is a yacht race open only to the IMOCA 60 class. The yearly race, first held in 2011, contains typically three different competitions starting in Lorient, France. The main event, a 48-hour offshore race in the Bay of Biscay is accompanied by the short Tour de Groix and a competition of speed runs over one nautical mile.

## Races

The competitions are held in solo or double-handed configurations alternating between the modes even and uneven years. In 2022 the competitions were also open for a crewed version, in preparation for the 2023 The Ocean Race. The Runs competition is always raced in a crewed configuration.
Race directors is Hubert Lemonnier. In 2023 onboard reporters were required in the races.

### Azimut race

Until 2018, the main event was a 24h race over approximately 200 to 250 nautical miles in length. Since 2019, the 48 hour race (approximately 500 to 550 nautical miles), takes the competitors onto the Bay of Biscay.

### Tour de Groix

The Tour de Groix is a small race rounding the island Groix a few kilometres off the coast of Lorient. Depending on weather conditions the race takes about two hours for the usually fully crewed boats.

### Runs competition

In the Runs competition the fully crewed boats compete in several rounds against each other on a one nautical mile long course.

## Winners
### Azimut race

| Year | First | Second | Third | Winning time | Winning yacht |
| 2011 | Vincent Riou (FRA)  Hugues Destremau (FRA) | François Gabard (FRA)  Sébastien Col (FRA) | Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA)  Jérémy Beyou (FRA) | 21h 33m | PRB 4 |
| 2012 | Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA) | Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA) | | Virbac-Paprec 3 |
| 2013 | François Gabart (FRA)  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA)  Jean Le Cam (FRA) | Bernard Stamm (SUI)  Philippe Legros (FRA) | 20h 36m | Macif |
| 2014 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Marc Guillemot (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA) | | Maître CoQ |
| 2015 | Vincent Riou (FRA)  Sébastien Col (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA)  Philippe Legros (FRA) | Paul Meilhat (FRA)  Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) | | PRB 4 |
| 2016 | Armel Le Cléac’h (FRA) | Morgan Lagravière (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | | Banque Populaire |
| 2017 | Paul Meilhat (FRA)  Gwénolé Gahinet (FRA) | Lagravière (FRA)  Loïck Peron (FRA) | Isabelle Joschke (FRA)  Pierre Brasseur (FRA) | | SMA |
| 2018 | Vincent Riou (FRA) | Sam Davies (GBR) | Yann Eliès (FRA) | 18h 39m 25s | PRB 4 |
| 2019 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA)  Christopher Pratt (FRA) | Kevin Escoffier (FRA)  Nicolas Lunven (FRA) | Charlie Enright (USA)  Pascal Bidégorry (FRA) | 1d 18h 43m 46s | Charal |
| 2020 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Sam Davies (GBR) | Isabelle Joschke (FRA) | 1d 20h 56m 59s | Charal |
| 2021 | Charlie Dalin (FRA)  Paul Meilhat (FRA) | Justine Mettraux (SUI)  Simon Fisher (USA) | Thomas Ruyant (FRA)  Morgan Lagraviere (FRA) | 1d 15h 48m 02s | Apivia |
| 2022 crew | Charlie Enright (USA) | Benjamin Dutreux (FRA) | Boris Herrmann (GER) | 1d 18h 56m 58s | 11th Hour |
| 2022 solo | Charlie Dalin (FRA) | Thomas Ruyant (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | 1d 15h 42m 50s | Apivia |
| 2023 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA)  Franck Cammas (FRA) | Charlie Dalin (FRA)  Pascal Bidégorry (FRA) | Sam Goodchild (GBR)  Thomas Ruyant (FRA) | 1d 17h 46 m 43s | Charal 2 |

### Tour de Groix

Only skippers, the Tour de Groix is held in a crewed setup.
| Year | First | Second | Third | Winning time | Winning yacht |
| 2012 | François Gabart (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | | Macif |
| 2013 | Marc Guillemot (FRA) | François Gabart (FRA) | Jörg Riechers | 2h 38m | Safran |
| 2014 | Marc Guillemot (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA) | | Safran |
| 2015 | Vincent Riou (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Paul Meilhat (FRA) | 1h 08m 10s | PRB 4 |
| 2016 | Paul Meilhat (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA) | Morgan Lagraviere (FRA) | 1h 32m 41s | SMA |
| 2017 | Paul Meilhat (FRA) | Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA) | Morgan Lagraviere (FRA) | 1h 34m | SMA |
| 2018 | | | | | |
| 2019 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA)  Christopher Pratt (FRA) | Jean Le Cam (FRA)  Nicolas Troussel (FRA) | Fabrice Amedeo (FRA) | 1h 08m 24s | Charal |
| 2020 | Kevin Escoffier (FRA) | Charlie Dalin (FRA) | Maxime Sorel (FRA) | 2h 29m 47s | PRB 4 |
| 2021 | Thomas Ruyant (FRA)  Morgan Lagraviere (FRA) | Charlie Dalin (FRA)  Paul Meilhat (FRA) | Sam Davies (GBR)  Nicolas Lunven (FRA) | 1h 52m 37s | Linked Out |
| 2022 | Benjamin Ferré (FRA) | Eric Bellion (FRA) | Ollie Heer (SUI) | 1h 57m 21s | Monnoyeur – Duo for a Job |
| 2023 | no Tour de Groix due to rescheduling of the main event due to a storm | no Tour de Groix due to rescheduling of the main event due to a storm | no Tour de Groix due to rescheduling of the main event due to a storm | no Tour de Groix due to rescheduling of the main event due to a storm | no Tour de Groix due to rescheduling of the main event due to a storm |

### Runs competition

Only skippers, the Runs are held in a crewed setup.
| Year | First | Second | Third | Winning time | Winning yacht |
| 2013 | François Gabart (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Jörg Riechers (GER) | 4m 40s | Macif |
| 2014 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Marc Guillemot (FRA) | François Gabart (FRA) | 6m 56s | Maître CoQ |
| 2015 | Paul Meilhat (FRA) | Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA) | Vincent Riou (FRA) | 4m 59s | SMA |
| 2016 | Morgan Lagraviere (FRA) | | | | Safran |
| 2017 | | | | | |
| 2018 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Sam Davies (GBR) | Paul Meilhat (FRA) | 4m 52s | Charal |
| 2019 | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | | | | Charal |
| 2020 | Armel Tripon (FRA) | | | 3m 5s | L'Occitane en provence |
| 2021 | Charlie Enright (USA) | Thomas Ruyant (FRA) | Manuel Cousin (FRA) | 6m 53s | 11th Hour |
| 2022 | Charlie Dalin (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | Charlie Enright (USA) | 2m 43s | Apivia |
| 2023 | Yoann Richomme (FRA) | Charlie Dalin (FRA) | Jérémie Beyou (FRA) | 2m 40s | Paprec Arkea |

## Ultim spinoff

In 2014 the Défi Azimut added a race for Ultim class offshore trimarans. Sébastien Josse won ahead of Sidney Gavignet, Yann Eliès and Loïck Peyron.
The event returned in 2021 with three participants. Armel Le Cléac'h won ahead of Thomas Coville and Yves Le Blevec.