ARTICLE PARRAINÉ
Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) is supporting Vendee Globe competitor, Pip Hare. The successful sailor and marine journalist, who hails from Poole, will be lining up in November 2020, along with 30 international skippers to single-handedly race her 60ft boat around the world, non-stop. The race will take in the three great capes; the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn. The course record for the race, which first took place in 1989, is 78 days. In 2001 Dame Ellen MacArthur came second in 94 days but no Brit has ever won the title.
Kerrie Gray, Poole Harbour Commissioners Marinas Manager advised, “We are incredibly proud to be supporting Pip. We have given her a berth for her boat in the lead-up and preparations for this prestigious race and we are delighted that she has chosen to stay with us. We are keen to help her with her fundraising and introduce her to key partners in the area in order to enable her to seek out the necessary support and financial assistance that she needs. She has ambitious plans to break records and certainly has the determination and grit to do so!”
Pip enthused, “Poole Harbour is an incredible place to be based with my Vendee Globe Campaign and I am really delighted to be working in partnership with Poole Harbour Commissioners. Poole has everything the sailor could possibly need, it is full of natural beauty, sheltered, has great and diverse marina facilities, a comprehensive range of local business to support every sailing need and for me it’s just a short hop out of the harbour into the open waters of Poole Bay where I can really let my 60ft boat go.
“There are not many ports in the UK that could cater for the needs of this elite racing campaign and having this on my doorstep is a privilege.”
Kerrie concluded, “We are delighted that Pip will be joining us and officially opening the Poole Harbour Boat Show which takes place from Friday 7th – Sunday 9th June. At Poole Harbour Commissioners we would like to wish Pip and her team all the best in her mission to prepare for The Vendee Globe.
You can follow Pip and other sailors on the Vendee Globe website www.vendeeglobe.org/en and on Pip’s racing website www.piphareoceanracing.com