CHARLIE DALIN – the 2025 and most recent winner of the Vendee Globe sailing race – has died.
The Frenchman passed away after a battle with cancer just 18 months on from setting a world record in the prestigious event.
Vendee Globe winner Charlie Dalin has died aged 42 Credit: AFP
Dalin, 42, finished the 24,300-mile (39,100km) non-stop round-the-world route more than nine days quicker than anyone else.
His wife, Perrine Le Pape, announced the sad news, saying: “It is with deep sadness that my family and I announce the passing of my husband, Charlie Dalin, following a long illness.”
It was revealed last year that he was being treated for a rare form of cancer after being diagnosed in 2023.
He won the Vendee Globe during that treatment for a gastrointestinal stromal tumour.
Dalin completed the race in 64 days, 19 hours, 22 minutes, and 49 seconds, remarkable achievement.
French president Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to “an extraordinary sailor, a rare example of courage, a guiding light on the open sea.”
Rival Yoann Richomme also issued a lengthy and emotional statement, adding: “What a remarkable fight you waged against this cruel illness.
“I am deeply impressed by your perseverance and optimism, right up to your final days.
“Our battles on the water, from our first tacks in the Figaro class, eventually led us to that fierce contest during the last Vendée Globe, which thrilled us so much.
“I cherished the years we spent together, the hearty laughs we shared, and our mutual determination to always give our very best on the water.”
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