Pip Hare’s 2020 Vendee Globe campaign has just become real…
Written by Pip Hare.
The latest stage of my campaign has burst into life this November with the news that I have secured an IMOCA 60 to race over the next two years. Training will start in January 2019 with Vendee Globe qualification expected later that year. Racing non-stop single-handed around the world is no mean feat and it has taken ten years of racing, training and progressive competition at international level to get to this point. But now I am ready to race, I have the boat, I have the skill, so let’s bring on the Vendee Globe Race 2020.
I will enter the world’s toughest single-handed yacht race with the ambition of breaking the current female record. Over ten years of preparation have led me to this point. And the journey hasn’t been easy.
An Athlete
– 2 world first endurance records
– Winner of multiple international yacht races
– Twenty years of experience ocean racing
A Voice
– Speaker – inspirational, motivational, engaging
– Journalist – in print and online with international readership
– Spokesperson – on message and passionate, experienced in TV and Radio, able to give interviews in English, French and Spanish
– Blogger – revealing the human story behind extreme sports
A Teacher
– Professional coach – training international sailors for world class events
– Online videos – author and presenter of Sail Faster Sail Safer (views in millions)
It might be a solo race, but there is a wealth of skill and experience working with me to make this campaign happen.
The Operations Team
This team will support in me in the physical delivery of all the core activities of both race activities and supporting work including funding and logistics.
Paul Peggs – Shore Manager
Chris Adams – Campaign Director
Campaign Ambassadors
This fantastic group of global voices amplify the core values and messaging of the campaign, creating maximum coverage, attention and excitement.
Campaign Board
The board provides governance and oversight of the core activities to ensure the whole end to end campaign is delivered in an effective, professional and competitive manner.
Campaign Board member Tom Hill serves as Chief Executive Officer of UBS Jersey at UBS Group AG. Tom is an accomplished sailor and first met Pip at a sailing regatta in Jersey. As part of the campaign board, Tom will provide governance and guidance on the funding and financial elements of Pip’s campaign.
“I am delighted to be involved in this campaign, which is a major event in British single handed offshore sailing. Pip has a tremendous record in numerous races, the tougher the better, achieved through amazing strength of character, and the Vendee entry comes at the ideal time in her career.”
The Race
A 24,000 mile race, circumnavigating the world, alone. 60 ft high performance racing yachts.
The world’s most elite offshore racers.
The earth’s most hostile environments.
Since its inception in 1989, fewer than 100 international skippers have completed the race. By comparison, that is less than 3% of the total number of people who have climbed Everest! (5000 climbers)
Only 5 women in history, and fewer than 10 British skippers in total have ever finished the race.
Timeline
October 2018 Take ownership of IMOCA 60 Superbigou and announce campaign
January 2019 Training begins
April 2019 Official launch and announcement of charity partner
June 2019 Round the Island Race – UK
August 2019 Fastnet Race
November 2019 Transat Jacques Vabres Race – qualification complete
May 2020 Transat Bakerly – single handed trans-atlantic race
June 2020 NY Vendee – single handed trans-atlantic race
November 2020 Vendee Globe Start
February 2021 Vendee Globe Finish
Sign up as an Official Supporter
Sign up as an official supporter to receive exclusive newsletters, photos and opportunities to visit the boat.
This campaign is going to be truly exciting and I’d like to offer you front row seats. By signing up as an official supporter you will get to hear my news, warts and all, including exclusive material, receive invites to view the boat on one of our open days as well as opportunities to enter exclusive competitions. All you need to do is fill in the contact form and you will in return receive:
• Access all areas passes for you and a friend to view the Superbigou at one of our bi-annual open days through the next two years
• Exclusive newsletters, with the warts and all version of my road to the Vendee Globe
• The chance to enter Pip Hare Ocean Racing competitions
• The chance to buy exclusive Pip Hare Ocean Racing team merchandise
By filing in the form you will be agreeing for me to contact you with news and offers. We will not sell or pass on your information to third parties, we will store it securely and you will have the right to unsubscribe at any opportunity.
DONATE
Superbigou (my boat) is in great shape, she is ready to sail and training starts in January 2019.
Next year I have two objectives: to complete race qualification and to secure a corporate sponsor for the Vendee Globe race. I need to work full time on the project to achieve these goals.
This year burning the candle at both ends has enabled me to make this campaign real. The support I have already received has been incredible and through plenty of hard graft and a lot of good will I have resourced the initial take-over of the boat, funded measurement fees to gain certification for the boat to race, and covered the set-up costs for the campaign. To keep this pace up I now need to dedicate all of my time to training and finding a few big sponsors to support and be involved in the campaign. I genuinely believe this is a hugely exciting opportunity for the right organisation but I am very aware it isn’t going to just land at my feet.
At this stage, any donations to my campaign will help me honour my monthly commitments to keep Superbigou afloat. Just owning a competitive boat is no small order and I must cover charter fees, mooring and insurance which is just over £4,000 a month. By way of context, if 2000 of my supporters were to make a one-off donation (https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/892z5SSUBB) of £50 this would cover my base level costs for the entire campaign length. This would allow me to devote all my time into delivering the competitive and exciting race I know I am capable of.
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