Victoire Martinet (E17): “You Can’t Hide From the Sea!”

Victoire Martinet (E17) is preparing for the Mini Transat, a solo sailing race across the Atlantic with no calls into port, and on tiny 6.5m boats. Here, she explains why she set herself this challenge...and how you can support her.

ESSEC Alumni: Why did you decide to enter the Mini Transat? 

Victoire Martinet: I’ve been into water sports ever since my childhood, which I spent by the sea. Then I discovered regatta sailing and cruising while I was a student; I was also Vice-President of ESSEC Sailing. But it was only in 2019, when I was there to see the Mini Transat arrive in Martinique, that the idea really took hold. My mind was blown listening to the stories of the skippers who’d completed the great voyage, and I decided to take on this extraordinary challenge myself.

EA: Only 7% of the participants are women. How would you explain this underrepresentation? 

V. Martinet: Before ESSEC, I studied science and engineering and I can see a parallel between these two worlds, where lots of young women rule themselves out because of deeply rooted stereotypes and standards. But things are changing, and thanks to role models like Sam Davies or Clarisse Crémer, a lot of women are making the leap.

EA: What big steps do you still need to take before the race begins? 

V. Martinet: Just qualifying is no mean feat: to compete in the 2023 race, I need to complete 1500 nautical miles in pre-season races along the whole Atlantic coast by the end of 2022, as well as an “off race” trip of 1000 nautical miles between the Île de Ré (France) and Ireland. In parallel, I still need to secure funding, buy the boat, get it in the water and sail, alone and at night, for the duration of a very long race... Crossing the Atlantic will ultimately be just the final step in a long process.  

EA: What are the specific problems inherent to a solo race?

V. Martinet: As the Mini Transat contains no calls in to port, you need to develop a wide range of skills so that you can solve all kinds of problems all by yourself: first aid, weather, energy, repairs, onboard electronics... You can’t hide from the sea! Not to mention the solitude, which is a formidable challenge in itself. Imagine spending three weeks in a box just a few cubic metres big that’s always shifting beneath you, with no home comforts and nobody to talk to... 

EA: Are your management skills of any use in this project?

V. Martinet: It’s a real entrepreneurial project. Finding partners, forming a company, managing suppliers, accounting... All the financial and administrative aspects turn out to be just as important as the sailing. I’m drawing on everything I’ve learned during my studies and my career.

EA: Do you ultimately plan to make sailing a career?

V. Martinet: I’d rather have this passion complement my career. I work 100% online, so I’ve been able to move to Lorient, a small town on the west coast of France, where I’ve set up my little boat. I sail on weekends and I’m grateful that I can combine the two things.

EA: What’s your most striking memory of the sea? 

V. Martinet: My first time out alone. I was “just” going to go around the Ile de Groix – in particularly choppy conditions. I was overcome with emotion once I was out at sea and I realised that I was the only one in charge of the boat, and that I was able to control my vessel without any mishaps. It was a fantastic milestone.

EA: How can the ESSEC community support your project?

V. Martinet: You can become a project partner. Although I might be sailing on a tiny boat, I can offer you a giant billboard: more than 100m² of sail on which to advertise! Are you looking to stand out from the crowd? To boost your reputation or energise your employer brand and attract new talent? Would you like to bring your employees and partners together around an innovative project that embodies your values? There’s lots of things we could do together: inspiring talks, films, competitions, team building, media content, image libraries, PR sailing trips, events... And if you’d just like to help out an old classmate, please tell people about my project and follow my adventures on Instagram!

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni 

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