A new British Vendee campaign!!

[MissFitz]

Very excited to see this morning that Pip Hare is mounting a Vendee 2020 campaign. If you don't know Pip, she's a truly awesome woman and an amazing sailor. She's been crossing oceans solo for decades, and since starting ocean racing in 2009 has done an Ostar and two Mini Transats, won the Double-Handed Round Britain and Ireland, and last year completed the first ever double-handed Three Peaks race. Basically, if she says she's going to make it to the Vendee start, she will!

More details about the project here - and if you have a few quid to spare please do consider donating to help Pip towards her ambition of breaking the women's Vendee record. (No connection, just a big fan!)
https://www.piphareoceanracing.com/#pip-hare

 

[flaming]

I'm glad she's gone public and I can talk about this now!

Pip is a good friend, an amazing person and by a considerable distance the best sailor I've ever sailed with. As you say if she says she's going to be on the start line, she will be on the start line. It would be a foolish person that would bet against her seeing the finish line as well...

That boat has some pedigree too. Very sensible choice for what isn't going to be a big budget campaign.

 

[Sandy]

That is great news. It is the only "race" I take any interest in due to the extreme amount of human endurance involved.

I wish her well.

 

[Yellow Ballad]

I've not met Pip and I can't say I've seen a huge about of her sailing but I really to respect her from the stuff I have seen. Infact I'll go as far to say she's probably my biggest inspiration of the sailing pro's so when I heard she's doing the Vendee I was quite excited for the race.

Good luck Pip

 

[Phil the Cowman]

Great news! Good for her!
I become something of an obsessive during each race.
Anyone know what generation the boat is? ( ie foiler either initially or retro fitted)

 

[flaming]

Great news! Good for her!
I become something of an obsessive during each race.
Anyone know what generation the boat is? ( ie foiler either initially or retro fitted)

From her supporters email.

Superbigou is a year 2000 Rolland design, which was originally built and raced by the legendary Swiss sailor Bernard Stamn. In the 2016 Vendee Globe fellow mini Transat sailor Alan Roura raced Superbigou and became the youngest sailor ever to finish the Vendee Globe race at 23 years old.

 

[Frogmogman]

Exciting news indeed. A bold move chartering the boat before sponsorship is sorted out, but it's a solid gesture which proves she is serious about this. She certainly has talent, and has been gaining the right sort of experience to make a solid go of it. Let's hope that this Vendée Globe is Pip's springboard on to the big stage.

I've joined the supporters club and will be sending her a small contribution to try and help keep things on an even keel until she can get some sponsorship sorted out. I would urge others who would like to see her succeed to do the same.

 

[flaming]

Exciting news indeed. A bold move chartering the boat before sponsorship is sorted out, but it's a solid gesture which proves she is serious about this.

It's a very "Pip" move!