French sailing star Charlie Dalin dies at 42 after record Vendée Globe win

Charlie Dalin, whose record-setting Vendée Globe victory lifted him into the top tier of modern offshore sailing, has died at 42. The win that defined his legacy came in January 2025, when he completed the solo, non-stop race in 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds, a time that rewrote one of the sport’s hardest records and made him a national figure in France.

The Vendée Globe said it learned of Dalin’s death on June 11, 2026, with deep sadness and paid tribute to a sailor it said had inspired generations and left an indelible mark on the event. The organization also extended support and affection to his wife, Perrine Le Pape, his son and the rest of his family. In France, where ocean racing carries unusual public weight, the loss lands as both a personal tragedy and a reminder of how much the sport asks of its best performers.

Dalin’s benchmark matters because the Vendée Globe is built on extremes: isolation, sleep deprivation, weather judgment and the constant strain of managing a high-performance boat alone around the planet. His record beat Armel Le Cléac’h’s 2016-2017 mark of 74 days, 3 hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds by 9 days, 8 hours, 12 minutes and 57 seconds. Official race figures put Dalin’s average speed at 17.79 knots over 27,668 nautical miles, while runner-up Yoann Richomme covered 28,326 nautical miles at 17.95 knots, reflecting how route choices and weather systems can reshape the race itself.

Dalin’s rise had been building for years before that breakthrough. He raced seven seasons in Figaro, won the French Champion de France Elite de Course au Large title in 2014 and 2016, entered the IMOCA circuit in 2019 with Apivia, finished second in the 2020-2021 Vendée Globe and won the 2022 Route du Rhum. Sailing coverage later named him the 2025 Rolex World Sailor of the Year, a recognition that underscored how central his record run had become to the sport’s recent history.

Later reports said Dalin had privately battled a gastrointestinal cancer or gastrointestinal stromal tumour diagnosed in late 2023, before discussing the illness publicly in a book. However it was disclosed, the timing deepened the sense of loss around a racer who had become a symbol of resilience. Dalin’s death closes the chapter on a career that reshaped offshore sailing’s profile in France and abroad, and it leaves behind a standard that future Vendée Globe sailors will still be measured against.