10 things to know about Charlie Dalin, winner of the Vendée Globe in record time

Portrait
The 40-year-old skipper flew through the 10th edition of the Vendée Globe by completing the circumnavigation of the world in 64 days, 19 hours and 22 minutes on the sailboat “Macif Santé Prévoyance”, shattering the previous record by more than 9 days.

1. Revenge

This is not the first time that Charlie Dalin has crossed the finish line in Sables-d’Olonne (Vendée) in the lead. In 2021, he beat his competitor Yannick Bestaven by a few hours, but it was the latter who finally pocketed the victory after being awarded a time bonus for having participated in the rescue of Kevin Escoffier.

2. Fair-play

Questioned after this defeat on the wire, the navigator said philosophically: “The day a sailor hesitates to go and find another because he knows that he is taking the risk of not winning, we will have lost everything. » A wisdom that put him in the pantheon of the great names in sailing. “This guy is a gentleman”will comment skipper Thomas Coville.

3. Record

It is therefore with increased motivation and the hat of favorite that this native of Le Havre embarked on this new edition of the Vendée Globe. He did not disappoint the hopes placed in him by spending the majority of the race at the head of the peloton. After a Homeric duel with his competitor and friend Yoann Richomme, he completed his world tour in 64 days, 19 hours and 22 minutes and 49 seconds, shattering Armel Le Cléac’h’s record in 2017 by more than nine days.

4. Mastery

Charlie Dalin amazed us during these two months at sea with his zenitude and his disconcerting impression of ease. His video shot in selfie mode at the top of his mast in the middle of the Atlantic while his sailboat moves at full speed will remain a model of mastery for all skippers.

5. Earthlings

Charlie Dalin, however, comes from a family that he himself describes as “earthlings” (his parents never set foot on a boat). Son of a musical tour manager and a sales assistant, he discovered sailing at the age of 6 in the hull of an Optimist.

6. Brittany

Subscribed to the magazine “Voile et voiliers”, dreaming of the adventures of Laurent Bourgnon, Eric Tabarly or Titouan Lamazou, Charlie Dalin discovered competition from high school, as a duo in 420 regattas off the coast of Le Havre. Spotted for his talents, he moved to Port-la-Forêt in Brittany to devote himself to his passion and won his first major solo race in 2009.

7. Architect

After a scientific baccalaureate, he began studying naval architect. Freshly graduated, he scours shipyards around the world to perfect his knowledge of boats. A know-how which was useful to him in designing and building “Macif Santé Prévoyance” himself, this 18 meter long sailboat designed for offshore racing.

8. I think

During the previous edition of the Vendée Globe, Charlie Dalin had to settle for the sound of the ocean as his only symphony, a technical problem making his Spotify playlist inaccessible. A shame for this music fan who, as a child, toured alongside his father. If today he cites Orelsan as one of his favorite artists, the first record he bought himself was “La Tribu de Dana” from Manau. The influence of Brittany, already…

9. Family

It is in Concarneau, a land of skippers if ever there was one, that Charlie Dalin is now based with his partner and his 6 and a half year old son. A short family return before the next race? “For my partner, when I do a deckchair, it’s as if I were going to buy bread”minimizes the one whose gaze remains turned towards the sea.

10. Share

This is the destiny of every skipper: to constantly return to sea. During his return from the Atlantic, Charlie Dalin did not fail to greet the French West Indies, setting out the next appointments for them, the Transat Café Gold in 2025 and the Route du Rhum in 2026. Two trophies that the sailor, barely arriving on dry land, already seems to be eyeing.