M Charlie Dalin

It 's hard to be more of a favorite. Charlie Dalin already was four years ago for his first Vendée Globe, and he did not disappoint. First across the finish line, victory slipped from his grasp only because Yannick Bestaven benefited from a time compensation for his participation in the rescue of Kevin Escoffier. There is only one place that suits this Havre-born sailor: first. And he has the means to achieve it. Aside from his medical withdrawal from the Transat Jacques Vabre, Dalin has only known two positions in recent years: first and second. A naval architect graduated from the prestigious University of Southampton—just like Yoann Richomme, one of his great rivals—Charlie is a pragmatic scientist who has climbed the ranks step by step. First in the Mini-Transat (where he finished second), then by winning two titles as the French offshore racing champion and securing four podium finishes in La Solitaire du Figaro before building an impressive IMOCA record. Far from the 420 dinghy racing of his teenage years, in Concarneau, at François Gabart’s MerConcept, they rightly believe that this discreet skipper has every chance of winning this Vendée Globe—that he is even built for it. Because Charlie Dalin has no weaknesses. An expert in meteorology, strategy, pure speed, technique, and repairs, he knows every boat he sails in the finest detail because he is always actively involved in their design. He was already working in the design office of Brit Air, the IMOCA on which Armel Le Cléac'h finished second in the 2008 Vendée Globe. And he has never stopped since, especially in the development of his new Macif Santé Prévoyance. The boat made an impression from the moment it was launched, winning the Rolex Fastnet Race and then the New York-Vendée. Featuring an innovative ergonomic design with an extremely long deckhouse, a tiny enclosed cockpit with vertical steering bars, and an aft living cell, the boat has once again proven its excellence in the recent Défi Azimut. 'Compared to Apivia (his previous IMOCA), we are faster and have made progress in all areas', says Dalin. 'Macif is wider at the front and narrower at the rear, with a higher freeboard. It has less drag and handles big seas better.' Significant efforts have been made on countless details to reduce sailor fatigue and energy loss. Barring any breakage, on paper, only a handful of other sailors can hope to challenge him.