Future Crew Catch Up – Meet Marion Lang

It was whilst out for an early run in Sentosa Island’s One15 Marina, Singapore, that Marion Lang first learned of the Clipper Race as she noticed the race fleet there on its completion of Race 8 from Brisbane, Australia.

Caught up in the excitement, with no previous sailing experience, Marion signed up for this year’s race and has just completed her Level 1 and 2 training back to back at our Australian training centre.

Find out why Marion finds it hard to pick the best bit of her race experience so far in this week’s Future Crew Catch Up.

Name: Marion Lang
Age: 59
Nationality: British (lives in Singapore)
Occupation: Financial Services
Signed up for: Clipper 2015-16 Race, Leg 7

What led you to sign up for the Clipper Race?
I was interested as soon as I saw the race and the crew members arrive in Singapore even though I have no sailing experience and little idea what might be involved.

Later I attended a college alumni event in London and met someone who had taken part in the Clipper 2009-10 Race and filled me in on many details, good and bad. By the end of the evening I was hooked!

What made you sign up for Leg 7?
I originally signed up to do leg 5, as it is the ‘local’ leg for me: from Australia to Singapore (where I live) and on to China (where I have lived in the past). I also thought it would be cool to sail into the One15 Marina in Singapore, where I now live on a houseboat.

During my two weeks of training we had the opportunity to meet people who had been around the world in previous Clipper Races and there was much discussion about all the different legs and their characteristics. On my return I decided instead do Leg 7, the American ‘Coast to Coast’. I’m also interested in Leg 8 as it would take me to parts of Europe that have a connection for me.

What have you found most challenging so far?
Level 1 was most challenging for me. I had done the preparation reading and practice but nevertheless found there was a great deal to take in. This ranged from basics, like remembering the names of everything, to how all the equipment worked and how to cook a meal for 14 in rough sea. Even finding my gloves or sunglasses was not straightforward.

Level 2 was less hectic, probably because the environment was familiar by now. We had great teams of instructors and participants on both courses and I very much enjoyed their company and benefited from their advice.

What has been the highlight of your Clipper Race experience so far?
It’s really hard to pick. We’ve seen whales, dolphins, and albatross and I loved sailing at night, we were lucky with bright moonlight, stars and temperate weather! Helming is exciting. But best of all it’s been the unfailing patience, good humour and support of the instructors and the team.

What do your family and friends think about you doing the race?
My children seem to think I am having a second midlife crisis (this one a bit more serious than running a half marathon). My husband is a bit concerned, so I appreciate even more the support he is giving me. He came to Sydney at the end of the training so that he could see the boat, meet the people and get more of a feeling for what I am about to embark on.

Would you like to join Marion and race across the world’s ocean this year? The Clipper 2015-16 Race starts on Sunday August 30, 2015 and will be the tenth edition series.

Crew places are now more than 80 per cent full with only 18 round the world places available. Leg 1: Trade Winds to Brazil is 100 per cent full, Leg 7 is 98 per cent full, and Leg 8 is now 96 per cent full. We are also now recruiting for the 2017-18 edition of the race.

To find out more, click here