Charlie Dalin has won the Vend\u00e9e Globe race and set a new race record, beating the previous record by fully 9 daysFrench sailor Charlie Dalin has secured a long-awaited and hard-earned victory in the 2024 Vend\u00e9e Globe, the grueling solo, non-stop, around-the-world yacht race. Dalin, skipper of Macif Sant\u00e9 Pr\u00e9voyance, crossed the finish line off Les Sables d\u2019Olonne on a cold Tuesday morning, sealing his place in history with an emphatic and masterfully executed victory.
\n\u201cI am the happiest man in the world today, for sure,\u201d Dalin said after the finish. \u201cWinning the Vend\u00e9e Globe\u2026.my second Vend\u00e9e Globe, last time I only had line honours but did not get the win. This time I did. With the team I have been working for four years on this edition, building this new boat, preparing this boat and upgrading the boat and now it is done.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I crossed the finish line I felt things I never ever felt before\u2026 And thanks to Yoanne Richomme, I think one of the reasons the record was beaten is he pushed so very hard and he forced me to push very hard as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was an amazing battle and I am looking forwards to seeing him when he arrives. He is an amazing sailor on his first Vend\u00e9e Globe and he sailed like he had done it three or four times already. It looked the Southern Ocean was his garden. And I was so impressed by his performance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Photo: Vincent Curutchet \/ Alea
\nRedemption after 2021 heartbreak
\nDalin\u2019s victory in this edition of the race serves as redemption for the disappointment he faced in the previous Vend\u00e9e. In 2021, he was the first to cross the finish line, only to be relegated to second place after time compensation was awarded to Yannick Bestaven for his role in rescuing fellow competitor, Kevin Escoffier. This time, however, Dalin\u2019s win is undisputed, with a dominant performance from start to finish.
\nHis 2021 heartbreak was a moment that defined him. On January 28, 2021, in the early morning darkness and cold, Dalin watched from the victory pontoon as Bestaven was crowned the winner. Despite missing out on the title by just two and a half hours, Dalin displayed grace and sportsmanship, accepting the outcome while internally replaying the race in his mind for months to come. \u201cI would wake up at night searching to find the minutes I had lost,\u201d he later admitted. That loss has fuelled a relentless drive to return stronger in 2024.
\nThis victory makes Dalin the first skipper ever to cross the finish line first in two consecutive races (Michel Desjoyeaux is the only sailor in history to have won the Vend\u00e9e Globe twice, in the 2000 and 2008 races).<\/p>\n
Record-breaking performance
\nCrossing the finish line with a total time of 64 days 19 hours 22 minutes and 49 seconds means the 40-year-old skipper shattered the previous race record set in 2016 by more than 9 days, underlining the superiority of his performance.
\nFrom the outset, Dalin showcased his tactical nous and consistency, leading at key most of the key race waypoints such as the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin. His closest rival, Yoann Richomme (Paprec Ark\u00e9a), was just nine minutes and thirty seconds ahead at Cape Horn, but Dalin seized the lead on December 30th in the South Atlantic and never looked back.
\nOne of the defining moments of Dalin\u2019s race came in the treacherous Southern Ocean. He made a bold decision to outrun a powerful low-pressure system featuring 50-60 knot winds and massive seas. This audacious move, taken alongside then-second-placed S\u00e9bastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), allowed both sailors to gain over 500 miles on the fleet. While others faced punishing conditions, Dalin emerged unscathed, his careful sail management and reliable boat proving decisive.
\nDalin at work in his IMOCA cockpit working on tactical decisions. Photo: Macif
\nA long rivalry
\nDalin\u2019s success has been shaped in part by his enduring rivalry with Yoann Richomme, dating back nearly a decade. Their battles in the Figaro class were intense, with Richomme narrowly defeating Dalin in the 2016 Solitaire du Figaro by just over five minutes after four stages of racing. The two were also teammates and training partners under the Skipper MACIF program, and their mutual respect continues to push them both to new heights.
\nRichomme\u2019s performance in this race should not be ignored either. The Frenchman is, as we write this, a little over 100 miles from the finish line and is all but assured of second place in this, his first ever Vend\u00e9e.
\nPhoto: Jean-Louis Carli \/ Alea
\nOvercoming Setbacks for Ultimate Success
\nDespite his meticulous preparation, Dalin faced setbacks in the lead-up to the race. A medical issue forced him to sit out two key transatlantic races in late 2023. While frustrating, this unexpected break led to a crucial shift in his mindset.
\nHe took extended holidays in the Caribbean and spent nearly 20 days relaxing in the summer\u2014an unheard-of luxury for the previously relentless competitor. Dalin has stated that this newfound balance helped him return sharper, more focused, and more determined than ever.
\nDalin has been racing under the MACIF banner since 2015, first in the Figaro class, and his Vend\u00e9e Globe triumph delivers a second victory in the iconic race for the French insurance giant. The project is managed by MerConcept, the offshore racing powerhouse founded by 2012 Vend\u00e9e Globe winner Fran\u00e7ois Gabart, further solidifying MACIF\u2019s legacy in solo ocean racing.
\nCrossing the finish line finst in his first Vend\u00e9e Globe in 2021 and winning the race outright in his second edition must surely cement Dalin\u2019s place among the greats of offshore sailing. His blend of tactical brilliance, unwavering consistency, and technical expertise has made him a deserving champion of the world\u2019s most challenging solo race.<\/p>\n
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The post Charlie Dalin clinches victory in the 2024\/25 Vend\u00e9e Globe and sets a new race record appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Charlie Dalin has won the Vend\u00e9e Globe race and set a new race record, beating the previous record by fully 9 daysFrench sailor Charlie Dalin has secured a long-awaited and hard-earned victory in the 2024 Vend\u00e9e Globe, the grueling solo, … <\/p>\n