From the age of 14 to 23, with his brother Yves

Marc Pajot accumulates national and international titles :

• Olympic Silver Medal winner, in 1972 in Flying Dutchman.
• 5 times World Champion
• 7 times French Champion

10 years competing on the oceans

Marc Pajot sets out to conquer the oceans under the wing of Eric Tabarly and crosses the Cap Horn at the age of 20 during the first team race around the world, the Whitbread (See Volvo Ocean Race) in 1973.^[1]

He sets the professional standards for high seas regattas by promoting his sponsors, amongst which Paul Ricard and Elf Aquitaine with whom he will lead on to accomplish extraordinary performances.
He takes the 2nd place in 1979 at the double handed transatlantic race Lorient-Burmuda-Lorient with the hydrofoil Paul Ricard.

The America’s Cup

As a project manager, Skipper and helmsman, Marc Pajot has been able to federate the best in the profession, sponsors, naval architects, engineers, tacticians and crew, to run after the America’s Cup for four challenges:

• French Kiss team 1987, Perth, Australia
• Ville de Paris team 1992, San Diego, USA
• France 2 team 1995, San Diego, USA
• First America’s Cup Swiss team 2000, Auckland, NZ

Twice he succeeded in skippering the French challenge to the semi-finals of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

• with French Kiss in 1987
• with Ville de Paris in 1992

During those 25 years of competitions, Marc Pajot has managed and overseen the conception and creation of over 15 boats from 45 to 100 ft.

Yachting accomplishments

• East to West transatlantic record holder on the Elf-Aquitaine catamaran in 1981 (9d 10h 6s 34c).
• Vice Olympic champion of Flying Dutchman in 1972, with Yves Pajot, his older brother
• Vice world champion 505 en 1968
• High seas regatta:
  • La Baule-Dakar in 1980 on Elf-Aquitaine (EA) with François Boucher and Paul Ayasse
  • New York City-Lizard Point, Cornwall-Brest in 1981 on EA
  • Multihull trophy in 1981 and 1982 on EA
  • Route du Rhum in 1982 on EA^[2]
  • Multi Cup in 1983 on EA
• Second place in the Two-Handed Transatlantic Race Lorient-Bermuda-Lorient in 1979 with Éric Tabarly on Paul Ricard.
• Third place in the Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race in 1984
• 3 participations as skipper in the America's Cup, on French Challenge in 1987, 1992 and 1995

Distinctions

• only sportsman to be a two time laureat of the Guy Wildenstein Prize from the Académie des sports, in 1975 (with his brother Yves) and in 1981.
• Officer of the Ordre national du Mérite
• Knight of the Ordre du Mérite Maritime
• Vermeil medal of the Ville de Paris

Publications

• Elf Aquitaine, un catamaran pour vaincre (édition Pen Duick)
• Voile Racontée par Marc Pajot (édition Hatier Rageot – 1985)
• Défi à la Coupe de l’América (édition Rivage – 1987)
• Des J.O. à la Coupe de l’América (édition Robert Laffont – 1991)