“I have never experienced such emotions, with the daylight starting to break through, it was incredible. It’s the most beautiful finish line of my entire career,” said, delighted, to the organization this great perfectionist, usually reserved.
He was quickly joined by his technical team, then his partner Perrine and his seven-year-old son Oscar for his first physical contacts in more than two months.
Due to the tide, however, this small group will have to wait on the boat until early afternoon before taking the channel, where a dense crowd began to gather in the morning.
His first pursuer, the Varois Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), with whom he has fought a fierce duel since the start on November 10, should follow in the evening. He clocked in at 9 a.m. still 117 miles from the finish.
“I think he deserves it. The scenario of the last Vendée Globe was unfair to him and he deserves this victory. If he succeeds, I will be happy for him, but I am not going to offer it to him,” he declared there. A few days ago, a handsome, playful Richomme.
“It was an incredible match with him, it’s his first Vendée and it seems like he’s been doing this all his life. It’s thanks to him that we did this world tour in such a short time” , said Dalin after his victory.
Vendée Globe: Denis Van Weynbergh halfway through his journey around the globe
“I’ve been dreaming of it for 4 years”
Along the way, Dalin set several navigation records. Aboard his latest generation foil sailboat, ultra-fast and very versatile, he notably completed the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) – Cape Leeuwin (Australia) section in just 9 days and 22 hours.
And above all, the sailor established a new record in the event, beating by more than nine days that signed by Armel Le Cléac’h during the 2016/2017 edition in 74 days 3 hours 35 minutes.
Despite fatigue and a perilous descent along the Bretons during the night from Monday to Tuesday, the sailor made no mistake to seize the Holy Grail of offshore racing, which he had coveted for four years, after having lost the title of nothing during the previous edition.
In Sables-d’Olonne, everything was ready to welcome the first two sailboats. Residents and enthusiasts from all over France are preparing to experience a return to the historic channel after the conclusion of 2021, in the void imposed by the Covid epidemic.
At the time, Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ), who arrived later than Dalin, had obtained a time bonus for having participated in the rescue operations of Kevin Escoffier. Dalin had finally given in for less than three short hours.
“This 2024 Vendée Globe, I’ve been dreaming of it since the day after the 2021 Vendée Globe. We’ve been working hard with the team for four years. We lived for it and that’s it, we achieved the goal,” said Dalin before setting off smoke bombs to celebrate the victory in the bay of the Vendée city.
By 2 p.m., he simply plans to sleep, before finally reconnecting with the land for some well-deserved celebrations.
