2023-10-29 04:12:52
The situation might seem comical at first glance. The co-skipper of “Macif” Charlie Dalin, 39, winner of the 2019 edition and among the favorites of this 10th edition alongside Pascal Bidégorry, will not compete in the Transat Jacques Vabre, which sets off from Le Havre on Sunday, because of a “medical problem”.
Only here, rather than giving up purely and simply, Dalin and Bidégorry will indeed take the start, then… turn around and give up in the process. On Friday, Dalin’s sponsor canceled the midday press briefing and replaced it with a press release:
“It is with great emotion that we have just learned that, following a medical problem that appeared in Charlie Dalin this week in Brittany, he will unfortunately not be able to participate in the 16th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre between Le Havre and Fort-de-France, whose departure is scheduled for this Sunday at 1:29 p.m. The pair, Charlie Dalin and Pascal Bidégorry, will nevertheless cross the (virtual) starting line in agreement with the medical team in order to allow Charlie to continue the qualification system for the Vendée Globe, but will be forced to abandon once the line crossed. »
While 44 boats are applying for 40 places on the starting line for the next Vendée Globe, which will start in November next year from Sables-d’Olonne, Dalin, 2nd in the last edition, must imperatively enter other criteria, to take “at least one start in a qualifying race in 2023” for his newly launched boat,.
If he had been a non-starter (DNS, do not start), he would have missed this opportunity. By setting off, even to turn around, he validates a participation, even if he is credited with an abandonment (DNF, do not finish).
Neither Dalin nor his team provided details as to the nature of the medical problem. Last Saturday evening, he kicked off the Ligue 1 match Le Havre – Lens (0-0), then returned to spend time with family in Concarneau (Finistère). This Sunday, Dalin is supposed to join Macif aboard a zodiac, before returning to dry land to receive treatment.
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