Les Sables-d’Olonne experienced this Tuesday, January 14 “one of the greatest feats of water sports in recent decades”, enthuses the Spanish sports site Relief. At 8:24 a.m., sailor Charlie Dalin crossed the finish line of the tenth edition of the Vendée Globe, a solo, non-stop round-the-world race, in the record time of 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds. .
The previous record, established by Armel Le Cléac'h in 2016-2017, was 74 days, 3 hours and 36 minutes, recalls Sail World. The specialized site took out its calculator and specifies that Dalin arrived in Les Sables-d'Olonne aboard his Imoca (a 60-foot monohull) with a “astounding advance” of 9 days, 8 hours, 12 minutes and 57 seconds on the time of Le Cléac'h.
The Norman skipper of Macif Santé Prévoyance, aged 40, records his best result in the Vendée Globe, in which he finished second in the 2020-2021 edition, indicates ABC. Leader “the most regular and the most constant” solo racing “the most prestigious in the world”, according to the Spanish daily, Dalin led the fleet for a total of forty-two days.
“From the start, Dalin showed great tactical sense,” observe the site Yachting World. His closest rival, Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), was only 9 minutes and 30 seconds ahead at Cape Horn, but Dalin took the lead on December 30 in the South Atlantic and “never looked back again”, notes the specialized media.
“Cold blood” and “redemption”
His victory “incontestable” is a kind of “redemption” after a strong disappointment during the last edition of the Vendée Globe, adds Yachting World. In 2021, he was the first to cross the finish line, before being relegated to second place after the award of a bonus to Yannick Bestaven, who had diverted to help another sailor , Kevin Escoffier.
“Knowing full well that any type of mishap or accident can still occur, Charlie Dalin had to show great composure to survive the final hours of his world tour, as he sailed between the tip of Brittany and Les Sables-d’Olonne in light winds”, continues ABC. The Spanish daily tells of a Dalin “calm and focused” until the horn sounds at the finish line.
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