Charlie Dalin – Yoann Richomme: their duel is the manifesto of modern ocean sailing

Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme with their duel at the last mile of this Vendée Globe, which is still far from electing its king, are the manifesto of modern ocean sailing. The last day of this 2024 year begins with a new overtake, yet another between the two, which puts Charlie Dalin back in the lead of the round-the-world race after Yoann Richomme, in the first part of the Atlantic ascent, had come to have even more than 100 miles of lead (which at Imoca averages can be as little as 4-6 hours). The arrival in Les Sables is 4800 miles away.

Dalin in a position of control

Macif and Dalin now lead with about a 20-mile margin, with a lateral separation between the two boats of about 4 miles: the leader in practice, at this stage of very little wind waiting to enter the Trade Wind, has placed himself in control on the bow of his opponent not allowing any lateral separation that Richomme could have exploited for an attack. The Trade Wind they are about to enter is a kind of highway, and if there is no lateral separation between the two boats, those behind can only approach if there is significantly higher speed. We will see in the coming hours what Richomme will try to come up with to limit his opponent’s advantage.

Dalin – Richomme, let’s get to know them better

We were saying in the incipit of this piece that the two French skippers, with their duel, are the manifesto of modern ocean sailing. Not mere sailors, but 100 percent protagonists of their sporting projects, starting with the design of the boats.

Dalin Class of 1984, Richomme 1983, have often been adversaries, both are graduates of Solent University in Southampton with a degree in Naval Architecture, with a Bachelor’s degree awarded in 2006, a qualification they have exploited in the years leading up to their ultimate establishment as sailors. Dalin worked as a designer on the Ericsson Racing and Oman Air teams, Richomme worked with Incidence Sails (which supplies sails for his Arkea Paprec) and collaborated with the Beneteau shipyard on the development of Figaro 3. Dalin has a sporting career in which he has had to chew a few bitter bites; in fact, he has despite himself earned the label of eternal second with his two silver medals at the Solitarie du Figaro, his second at the last Vendée Globe (where he was actually first across the finish line but Bestaven won as a result of time bonuses for saving Escoffier), and a second place at the Route du Rhum 2022 after dominating for a long time. His talent, however, is undisputed, so much so that he ended up in François Gabart’s Mer Concept “stable,” as Gabart himself had told us in one of our interviews aboard the maxi trimaran Lazartigue. Richomme, on the other hand, has earned the label of winner par excellence: twice winner of the Solitarie du Figaro, twice winner of the Route du Rhum in Class 40, in Imoca 60 he has already won The Transat and the Return to Base in his debut season, this one. Their boats, Macif and Arkea Paprec, are two Imoca 60s that Guillame Verdier (Macif) and the Finot-Koch duo (Arkea Paprec) custom-designed from the inputs of the two skippers who were active participants in the design of the boat. For all the reasons we have listed, for their scientific training and professional experience, Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme are the epitome of modern ocean sailing. We will talk about this and much more in the next episode of The Vendée Globe Trial, airing on our Facebook and YouTube channels on January 2 at 6:30 pm. Guests will include ocean racers Ambrogio Beccaria, and Francesca Clapcich (both in the Vendée Globe 2028 odor) and “our” weather coach Gianni Bianchini.

Mauro Giuffrè

Follow the Vendée Globe with us

Follow the Vendèe Globe with the Sailing Newspaper! In the section “The Vendèe Globe Newspaper” you will find all the latest news about the race, while on our Youtube channel, every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., “The Vendèe Globe Trial” (in collaboration with Raymarine, Antal and Gottifredi&Maffioli) goes live, where our experts, along with a parterre de roi of great sailing guests, comment on the great adventure of the solo round-the-world race.