Charlie Dalin reveals Vendée Globe win despite cancer
French sailor Charlie Dalin has revealed that he won the Vendée Globe last January while battling a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer. The 41-year-old recounts this ordeal in a book set for release on Thursday. This victory, already an exploit in 64 days, takes on even greater significance in light of his illness.
Charlie Dalin, skipper for the Macif team and one of France's top offshore sailors, made a shocking revelation to AFP on Wednesday. He completed the Vendée Globe in January, winning the solo, non-stop around-the-world race in 64 days and shattering the previous record. But he was suffering from a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), a rare form of cancer diagnosed in autumn 2023, just before the Transat Jacques Vabre, which he withdrew from.
In his book La Force du destin, co-written with journalist Didier Ravon and published by Gallimard on Thursday, Dalin recounts his journey from childhood, his passion for sailing, and this dramatic period. “It’s sure that it complicated the task a bit to have this intruder on board,” he told AFP. “Today I see it as a double victory, over the race and especially over everything that happened to me.”
After a few months' pause, effective immunotherapy allowed him to resume competition. He kept his illness secret to avoid overshadowing his sporting project, adapting his navigation and recovery on board during his second Vendée Globe, which started in November 2024. His arrival was praised by his peers.
Today, his medical signals are stable, but he has lost a significant amount of weight. He ended his 2025 season in June for health reasons, replaced by British sailor Sam Goodchild on his Imoca. “I’m no longer able to do offshore racing. My career is on hold, but I hold hope of returning one day, perhaps on transatlantics,” he confides.