Meet the Vendée Globe skippers: Pip Hare
by Vendee Globe 12 Oct 2020 09:30 BST
Pip Hare - Vendée Globe ©
www.piphareoceanracing.com
She is free. She has got a BA in Linguistics and she stopped her Masters of Psychology because of the Vendée Globe, her real dream. When she is alone on her boat, she sings Aretha Franklin... Meet Pip Hare!
Date of birth: 7th Feb 1974
Place of birth: London
Home town: Poole
Studies and career outside of sailing: I've been a sailor all of my life, I got my BA from the Open University at the age of 39, It's in linguistics. I started a masters in phsychology three years ago - also distance learning, - but that is on hold at the moment... I've got a bit on.
Your first sailing trip: where, when, circumstances? I can't remember exactly but my grandfather had a wooden folk boat and there is a picture of standing at the helm in the cockpit at the age of one.
How and why did you decide you wanted to be involved in ocean racing? I decided before I had been on the ocean, I was reading about it in my teens and the freedom, the limitless possibilities, the travel, the adventure really appealed to me.
At what point exactly did this become the main focus for you? In 2009 when I was 35, I had been sailing my whole life as a career, done many ocean miles but did not have the confidence to race. In 2009, I thought 'sod this, I am just going to do it.'
Which result or experience are you most proud of? To be honest these last two years getting to the Vendee Globe have been the toughest in my life and I have been proud to get through them. But in terms of a sporting performance - my two handed three peaks yacht race for sure. Me and my co-skipper Charles, sailed nearly 400 miles through some treacherous coastal waters and ran three back to back marathons up mountains, it took us nearly four days and we had about eight hours sleep each during that period - no one has done it before, no one (even us) knew if it could be done, no one has done it since.
Personality
What do you see as your main quality? I never give up
And your biggest shortcoming? I don't' forgive myself for mistakes
If you were an animal, what would you be? a black cat
If you were a plant, what would you be? That is a weird question... I just don't think I can imagine being a plant
If you were a film? Never ending story
If you were a piece of music? Unfinished symphony (do you get the theme here?)
What is your favourite colour? Blue
What do you dream of that would make you happiest? Competing in the Vendee Globe Race (ooh!)
Who is your biggest hero? I have several, Emmeline Pankhurst, Nelson Mandela, and all those people who have ever worked and do work tirelessly to eradicate inequality. I also greatly admire my parents.
Your favourite saying? When someone says no or it can't be done..... I'll do it myself then.
If you were not an ocean racer, what would you be? A surgeon I think
2020 VG
Your ambitions in the 2020 VG: To Finish!!!!!
Your weaknesses: Making a stupid mistake with my technique - not being thorough or meticulous.
Your secret weapon: A knuckle headed determination to succeed
What would you consider to be a successful VG for you? To Finish!!!!
What do you want to share most of all? All of it, this is a very human experience, and even for those that don't understand sailing, there is plenty to share about what we have to do to survive alone in extreme environments for three months.
Describe the VG for you in three words: Audacious endurance sport
Three stand out images you have of the VG: The southern ocean, cape horn, the finish
Which skipper inspires you? Sam Davies for sure, she has had
What would you not go around the world without?: Tea
You would not set off around the world without your?: Boat!!!!
What is your guilty pleasure at sea? Singing along at the top of my voice to Aretha Franklin.... I certainly do not have the voice for it, but when there is no-one to here it I certainly pretend".
www.vendeeglobe.org/en