Charlie Dalin

Charlie Dalin is a French IMOCA 60 skipper and the reigning Vendee Globe champion, having completed the 2024-25 solo non-stop round-the-world race in a record 64 days, 19 hours, and 22 minutes aboard MACIF Sante Prevoyance. The record shattered the previous mark by over 9 days, reflecting both his exceptional seamanship and the stunning performance of the latest generation of foiling IMOCA 60s.

Dalin's 2026 campaign centers on two major events: the inaugural Ocean Race Atlantic (New York to Barcelona, September 2-16) and the Route du Rhum (Saint-Malo to Guadeloupe, November 1 onwards). Combined with his Vendee Globe victory, a Route du Rhum title would cement his status as the greatest French offshore sailor of his generation.

France has a unique relationship with solo offshore sailing. The Vendee Globe, Route du Rhum, and Transat are national events that generate the kind of public attention that football and cycling receive in other countries. Dalin's Vendee Globe finish was broadcast live on French national television, and his departure from Saint-Malo for the Route du Rhum will draw hundreds of thousands of spectators to the Breton coast.

MACIF Sante Prevoyance, Dalin's IMOCA 60, is among the fastest boats in the class. The latest-generation foiling IMOCA 60s can sustain speeds above 25 knots in reaching conditions and have been clocked above 35 knots while surfing ocean swells. These boats represent the cutting edge of solo sailing technology: fully foiling, carbon-fibre monohulls equipped with autopilot systems, satellite weather routing, and canting keels.

Dalin's approach to offshore racing combines meticulous preparation with an instinctive feel for weather systems. His routing decisions during the Vendee Globe, particularly in the Southern Ocean where he chose a more southerly route than his competitors, demonstrated a willingness to take calculated risks that paid off spectacularly.