Around the world in 64 days: the sensational feat of Charles Dalin, who should win the 10th Vendée Globe in history tonight

Charles Dalin, deuxième de l'édition 2020, est en passe de décrocher la victoire. MAXPPP – QUEMENER YVES-MARIE

Le navigateur français est actuellement en train de redescendre les côtes bretonnes. 

End of the suspense ? Less than a day before the finish of the 10th Vendée Globe, Charlie Dalin (Macif) kept the upper hand on Monday over his closest pursuer Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa): only a breakdown could allow the Varois to catch up. At the 3 p.m. checkpoint, there were less than 135 miles (250 km) left to go for the Norman, before raising his arms to the sky to celebrate his sparkling revenge in the solo round the world race that he had finished second in 2021.

On Monday afternoon, the sailor still had a 140-mile lead over his friend, before his final hours of sailing. To reach Les Sables-d'Olonne, he skirted a windless zone to the north and slowly began to descend along Brittany.“Off the coast, the wind should be quite light (…). The conditions are unstable, we will have to find the right compromise: that the boat continues to move forward”, explained the 40-year-old sailor in an audio message in the morning.

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Arrival expected between 3 and 7 am…

The light air should be in Dalin's favour because his rival tore a headsail – very important in these light conditions – during his ascent of the North Atlantic. According to the Macif team, Charlie Dalin should arrive on Tuesday around 5 am in Les Sables-d'Olonne.

The organizers estimate that the Norman could cross the line between 3 and 7 am, followed half a day later by Richomme. If the line is crossed before 1:02 pm (start time on November 10), the race will have been completed in 64 days, almost 10 less than the record set by Armel Le Cléac'h in 2016/2017 (74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds).

In the lead for more than 80% of the course, Dalin has no intention of giving up so close to a Grail that he has coveted for 4 years, after finishing second by a whisker in the previous edition. More wound up than ever, Dalin has won almost every other race since and launched a new foiling boat in June 2023, even more powerful and versatile than the previous one.

Dalin's family ready to join him

“For the moment it's concentration, continuing to rest, eating well… I'm not thinking too much about the finish”, said Charlie Dalin. In Les Sables-d'Olonne, everything is ready to welcome the first two boats. The race village has reopened and residents and enthusiasts are preparing to experience a historic return to the channel after the end of 2021, in the void imposed by the Covid epidemic.

For a long time I would wake up at night, I would replay the race

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 lost by less than three short hours. “This second place was a big frustration. For a long time I woke up at night, I replayed the race, the maneuvers, the sail choices to understand where I had let this time slip away”, the skipper said before the start.

In the event of victory, Charlie Dalin will be joined on the boat by four members of his technical team, but also by his wife and his 7-year-old son, for his first physical contact after two months at sea. During the night, the Olonna port, where the Vendée Globe village is located and where the winner will moor, will come alive as the hours go by, while only a few onlookers walked the pontoons on Monday morning. The party should last a few days, as the arrivals come and go. Sébastien Simon, in 3rd position, is expected between Thursday and Friday to complete the podium.