French sailor Charlie Dalin, who won the around-the-world race Vendee Globe in record time last year, has died from cancer. He was 42.Vendee Globe organizers announced his death on Thursday and French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to “an extraordinary sailor, a rare example of courage, a guiding light on the open sea.”Dalin was diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer in 2023 but did not make it public before he completed his 2024-25 solo journey in less than 65 days, nearly 10 days faster than the previous mark — and making up for missing out on the victory in the previous edition.Dalin crossed the line first in 2021 as well after 80 days at sea, only to see Yannick Bestaven awarded the win by more than two hours after receiving a 10-hour time bonus for helping to rescue another competitor.There was no such disappointment for Dalin last year at Les Sables-d’Olonne, the seaside port on the Atlantic coast of western France that serves as both the start and finish of the race. Dalin smashed Armel Le Cleac’h’s previous record by more than nine days, winning the grueling event in just 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes on his MACIF Santé Prévoyance yacht.
Dalin’s nearest rival during the race, Yoann Richomme, paid a vibrant homage to his friend.
