French sailing mourns Vendée Globe winner Charlie Dalin after cancer death

French sailing has lost one of its brightest stars. Charlie Dalin, the celebrated skipper who won the prestigious Vendée Globe, died overnight Wednesday to Thursday at the age of 42 following a battle with cancer. His wife, Perrine Le Pape, announced his passing in a statement, noting that tributes would be held in the coming days.

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Charlie Dalin had conquered the Vendée Globe, carrying in silence another fight.

Dalin had been diagnosed with colon cancer during the Vendée Globe, a fact he only revealed in October. Despite his illness, he crossed the finish line first on January 14, 2025. French President Emmanuel Macron took to X to honor the late sailor, stating, "France salues an immense sailor, a rare courage, a light on the water." He added, "Charlie Dalin had conquered the Vendée Globe, silently carrying another fight."

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The France salutes an immense sailor, a rare courage, a light on the water.

The region of Normandy, Dalin's birthplace, also mourned the loss of a "great figure of offshore racing and the sea." The regional government praised him for "carrying the colors of his territory high and inspiring a whole generation of sailors." Politicians like former Prime Minister Michel Barnier remembered Dalin as a "free man" with a "deep love for the sea," highlighting his "courage, strength of character, and smile."

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Charlie Dalin had conquered the Vendée Globe, carrying in silence another fight.

Yaël Braun-Pivet, President of the National Assembly, noted that Dalin "embodied what the sea demands most: self-transcendence and perseverance." Other officials, including Éric Coquerel, president of the National Assembly's Finance Committee, recalled Dalin's "masterful triumph" in the "Everest of the Seas," emphasizing his resilience in the face of his illness. The sea, they noted, ultimately offered him no respite ashore.

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Charlie Dalin had conquered the Vendée Globe, carrying in silence another fight.