At 12:02 GMT on the 8th Nov 2020, 34 competitors of the Vendée Globe race, will sail non-stop, unassisted, single handed around the world via three capes and three oceans in an effort to complete one of the most demanding and prestigious events within the sailing and sporting calendar. Pip Hare is one of those competitors; a British single-handed ocean racing sailor, journalist, coach and inspirational speaker. With 2 world-first endurance records to her name, the winner of multiple international yacht races, and 20 years of experience in ocean racing, Pip will be taking part in this year’s iconic Vendée Globe – the world’s toughest single-handed yacht race – with the ambition of breaking the current female record. Sports Tourism Media wishes Pip good luck on this tremendous endeavour and delighted to include her in our interview series.
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What was your most memorable sporting holiday and why?
I first really fell in love with sailing on a holiday. It was when I was 16 and I went away for the first time without my family on a sailing holiday run by young people for young people. I loved the freedom, I loved living on the boats and the sense of adventure. Even now as a pro racer I still get the same kick out of sailing.
What was the best sporting venue you had a chance to visit as a fan or sports person and why?
Wales is one of the greatest sporting venues there is if you like the outdoors – in Wales I have enjoyed some incredible single track mountain biking, have had a chance to race and run some ultra-trails, and have sailed (and rowed) in some of the most challenging waters in the UK during the Three Peaks yacht race.
If you could choose one adrenaline or adventure activity to do on holiday what would it be and where?
Well obviously sailing – but as that would be a busman’s holiday then I would pick trail running; you get to see some of the most beautiful landscapes, test your brain on navigation, have a great natter with friends and earn a great meal and a beer at the end of the day.
What’s the ultimate sporting tournament you would attend purely as a fan and/or spectator and why?
I’m fascinated by the world of endurance sport and how increasingly, in these mega tough events, women are taking on men on an equal footing, or as sportswoman. I’d love to watch the Iron Man World Championships for this reason especially if Chrissie Wellington (British Ironman World Champ) competed (although she’s retired from professional racing now). She’s pretty awesome. And she came out of nowhere (lived in Norfolk, civil servant, then smashed her first race in Kona – boom!).
Sailing at all levels is multi-generational, with male/ female competing on equal terms, is this what attracted you to the sport growing-up?
Absolutely. Being able to race against others, no matter whether they’re older or younger, male or female, is what I love about this sport. It means I can pit myself against the best people in the world – but also means I’m part of an incredible community.
How do you see the Vendée Globe inspiring sports fans around the world, especially in the current climate?
The Vendée Globe is a truly unique race. Fewer than 100 competitors have completed the race in its 30-year history – many, many more people have climbed Everest – and only 7 of those were women. So it’s a race that has everything – the cat and mouse drama of close racing, the incredible endurance needed to compete for 3 months and the jeopardy of sailing solo round the world through some of the most inhospitable oceans. It’s like a mash-up of Formula 1, the Tour-de-France and an ultra-marathon, only longer, wetter and a lot further from land – so a lot tougher! So I hope watching us struggle against the elements and each other, offers both an inspiration and a distraction, to others after what has been a challenging year.
As a professional and competitive sailor, you must have travelled widely, does any specific country impress you through their ‘sport tourism’ offering (venues/ activities/ natural landscape)?
In France, sailing is seen as a national sport and they’re incredibly proud (and vocal) about it, so the atmosphere when you race there is just amazing. And they have amazing locations – from the wild landscape off Brittany, to the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. But most importantly, their passion for sailing means they put those venues to good use to encourage everyone to get involved in the sport.
For more information go to https://www.piphare.com / https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/