Marc Emig has a dream : He wants to become the first skipper from Marseilles to take part in the Vendée Globe. But in order to achieve this goal, he needs to find partners who are willing to accompany him in this adventure. An experienced Figaro racer, he launched a project called “Marc Emig and I,” in January 2010 to fly the colours of his home town. Busily looking for the necessary funding, Marc Emig is ready to tackle the Everest of the Seas and is determined to be there on 11th November 2012. We met up with him.
Where did this dream of taking part in the Vendée Globe come from?
M.E. “The Vendée Globe is the ultimate race. Seeing the skippers on the day of the start and imagining what they were going through for three months gave me the taste for it. The voyage into the unknown is one thing that really attracted me and I would like to feel those emotions myself. The Vendée Globe is a race, which really allows you to bring together racing and adventure. I’m lacking this experience and would like to do it before ending my career. It is time I did the Vendée Globe: it would be a real conclusion and the logical step up from ten years of racing on a Figaro. I would like to move up before it is too late and I have to retire. I feel more at ease in offshore races, like the solo transatlantic races, than in the Solitaire du Figaro for example. I think I’m able to do a round the world race and will really enjoy myself.”
Tell us about your project “Marc Emig and I”
Marc Emig: “We set up this project because we noticed that no one from Marseilles had ever set sail in the Vendée Globe. To emphasize the difference between me and the other contenders in the Vendée Globe, I had to stress my strong points. Never having taken part in a round the world race I came up with this unusual project in the colours of Marseilles, to attract partners. We wanted to include local bodies, local people and businesses in our adventure. The arrival of The Race in 2001 showed that the people of Marseilles are ready to become involved in a sailing project. Marseilles will in fact be the European city of Culture in 2013, the year when the Vendée Globe finishes. If things work out, our project will become part of this and it will continue after the finish.”
How far have you got in your search for partners?
M.E: “We are just establishing initial contact. The project has attracted a lot of interest, but it’s not easy finding private partners. A lot of firms have turned us down, but we are following up two interesting proposals. Unfortunately, these potential partners can’t give their final answer very quickly. Their schedule is not necessarily the same as ours.”
What is your time frame?
M.E: “Our project needs to be able to be completed by September or October. This schedule will mean that I can get in some training before the Vendée Globe. I won’t set off around the world without knowing my boat well. Depending on how our contacts develop, we’ll see whether we have to consider putting our project back to 2016 or whether we go for 2012. For the moment, anything is possible and we’re still looking at setting off in 2012. At the same time, I’m continuing to sail in my Figaro. I’ll be taking part in the Generali Solo in June in the Mediterranean and then the Solitaire du Figaro in August. I’m also working on a Franco Chinese team for the Tour de France Sailing Race.”
The general public don’t know you that well. Is that making it trickier to find sponsors?
M.E: “If you’re well known by the public, that is of course an advantage when you’re looking for sponsors. The problem is that a skipper becomes famous only after he has taken part in the Vendée Globe. Otherwise, you have to go through other campaigns, where there is less publicity. So it’s hard to get everyone to know you. Having said that, I’m lucky enough to be the only person from Marseilles and people know me well enough here to enable me to set up something interesting. On top of that, when meeting up with partners, people talk to me more about the financial aspects than the fact that I’m not as well known as others.”
What experience do you have of 60-foot IMOCA sailing?
M.E: ”I don’t have that much, but I did sail with Marc Thiercelin on DCNS in the 2009 Istanbul Europa Race. So it’s true that I can’t hope to have a project up there with some of the other skippers, who have already taken part in the Vendée Globe. I have nevertheless sailed a lot with a crew on big boats, particularly in the ORMA circuit. (Editor’s note – as tactician on Sergio Tacchini).”
What boat are you looking at for the Vendée Globe?
M.E: “We had an option out on Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia (Editor’s note: this was in fact bought by Banque Populaire for Armel Le Cléac’h). Now we’re interested in Michel’s other boat, which sailed as MAPFRE in the Barcelona World Race and showed that she was still a great boat. So for the moment that is the option we’re looking at. I don’t think in any case there will be a shortage of boats available fro the 2012 race. But we do need to find the funding.”
What will you be aiming for if you do make it to the start?
M.E: “I will need a boat that is fast enough and good enough to allow me to be in with a chance of getting a good result. But I’m not going overboard here and realise that I have never sailed around the world, having only sailed for 28 days at one time. If I find a partner, my ambition will therefore be to prepare myself as best I can and then complete the race.”
