Vendee Globe victor Dalin puts misery of 2021 behind him
The 40-year-old French mariner is due to complete the race in a record time -- if he passes the finishing line before 1202 GMT he will break by a remarkable 10 days the mark set by 2017 champion Armel Le Cleac'h of 74 days, three hours, 35 minutes and 46 seconds.
Dalin's victory will taste all the sweeter after what transpired in the previous edition in 2021.
Having crossed the line first he was demoted to second as runner-up Yannick Bestaven was adjudged the winner after being awarded a time bonus for going to the aid of rival Kevin Escoffier.
Bestaven, whose defence of his title ended at the end of December due to a series of problems affecting his boat, edged Dalin out by three hours once the bonus was taken into account.
The despair over that gave Dalin nightmares in the intervening years, as he told AFP prior to setting sail for this renewal.
"This second place was hugely frustrating," said Dalin, who will arrive to a packed dockside unlike in 2021 when Covid restrictions ruled out any spectators.
"For a long time I would awake in the middle of the night, I would go back through the race, the manoeuvres, my choice of sail in order to understand where I let that time slip."
Dalin, who unveiled his winning foiler or Flying Yacht in 2023 -- a more powerful and versatile boat compared to its predecessor -- will have fully deserved his victory and not just because of the 2021 result.
He has led for 80% of a race which is as much a mental test as a physical one.
It has been a thrilling duel between him and his friend of 20 years, Yoann Richomme.
'He deserves it'
Dalin took charge at the end of November as they rounded the Cape of Good Hope, the bravado of the Macif skipper paying off.
For he and Sebastien Simon were the only competitors to opt to head into the middle of the Indian Ocean despite a violent tempest and avoid having to take a detour.
Simon's courage cost him a broken starboard foil which allowed Dalin to take a sizeable lead over his rivals.
However, Richomme got the bit between his teeth and erased a gap of 500 nautical miles in a matter of days round the south of Australia and took a nine-minute lead as they rounded Cape Horn.
Dalin's triumph became all but certain when Richomme suffered a torn foresail on his Paprec Arkea as they traversed the North Atlantic.
"I think he deserves it," said Richomme a few days ago.
"The outcome of the last Vendee Globe was unfair for him and he deserves this win.
"If it comes to pass, I will be happy for him. However, I won't hand it to him on a plate," added Richomme, who was some 140 nautical miles (260 kilometres) adrift as the leader headed into the final 130 miles.
Richomme is all but guaranteed second as third-placed Simon is expected to arrive either on Thursday or Friday.
The smashing of the previous fastest mark will come as no surprise for many as the sailors were not only also armed with faster and more versatile boats but also encountered clement weather.
Those factors also help to ensure that only six of the 40 boats that set out failed to make the finish line -- a record.
"All the elements are there to beat it and I think it will happen," said Le Cleac'h prior to departure.
For Maxime Sorel, whose race ended five days in due to an ankle injury, it has been a while in the making.
"In 2016, we had our first generation of foilers," he said.
"The 2020 edition was the dawn of the first yachts with big foils, but the weather was dreadful.
"This time round we have a new generation which are even higher performance and reliable."