She has fulfilled her teenage dream and is already thinking about the next Vendée Globe: Pip Hare, fighter, second best skipper of the ninth edition and communication queen, is on target. The 47-year-old crossed the line in the early morning of February 12 at 1.57 a.m. local time as 19th. This makes the woman, who only discovered solo sailing at the age of 35, the best Briton in the 2020/21 race. The overjoyed "Medallia" skipper was greeted with a storm on her arrival in the port of departure and destination Les Sables-d'Olonne, despite the bitterly cold night. Vendée Globe King Jean Le Cam also paid tribute to her, came on board to congratulate and gave Pip Hare a warm hug.
Better than an accolade: Vendée Globe King Jean Le Cam came on a bitterly cold night to personally congratulate Pip Hare on her performance
"I just can't believe it," said Hare over and over at the finish. "It is the first time that anyone has ever told me that they took notice of me in a race. I am still surprised that everyone knew I was there. That is an incredible compliment from each of the skippers in front of me: to tell me I did well. It's an incredible endorsement. I just can't believe it."
Pip Hare embraced the oceans at her Vendée Globe premiere
After 95 days, 11 hours, 37 minutes and 30 seconds and an enlightening last passage through the canal, Pip Hare was greeted in the Vendée Globe harbor as stormily and emotionally as she contested this race. The sailor from the English port of Poole is only the eighth woman to finish the solo race around the world. With her way of circumnavigating the world on a small budget, with a big heart and with a lot of communication talent, she, as a sportswoman, adventurer, journalist and blogger, has drawn an audience of millions under the spell of the Vendée Globe. Pip Hare has carried a 21-year-old Imoca yacht around the world, which the skipper propelled to 24-hour highs of more than 400 nautical miles despite breakage and repeated requests for repairs. Pip Hare illuminated the Vendée Globe with a positive attitude, even in its darkest hours, and made it tangible and tangible.
The live broadcast of the finish and the arrival of Pip Hare at the start and finish port of Les Sables-d'Olonne
Took the world by storm: "Medallia" skipper Pip Hare
Like bright sunshine: Pip Hare
Jean Le Cam said that night: "She is like bright sunshine." The Swiss Vendée Globe sailor Bernard Stamm, who built Hare's boat more than 20 years ago, called the Englishwoman "my heroine". In her race, however, Hare had to endure dramas. For example, she remembered her demanding rudder change in 25 knots of wind, which she had to carry out after breaking in the deep Pacific in order to continue her premiere. Pip Hare reached the goal less than 50 nautical miles after Stéphane Le Diraison ("Time For Oceans"), had previously made another 100 nautical miles in the last 36 hours and demonstrated her fighting skills one last time.
With a boat that was built in the same year as Ellen MacArthur's "Kingfisher", who was second best woman in Vendée Globe history in 2000/01, Pip came very close to Hare MacArthur's total time sailed at the time. Hare was missing the finish line with an Imoca yacht of the same age only 1 day, 7 hours and 12 minutes before MacArthur's time reached two decades ago (94 days, 4 hours, 25 minutes). After the end for her prominent compatriots Sam Davies and Alex Thomson, it was the "Medallia" skipper who carried the Union Jack the highest around the world. When she spoke in front of her own camera with braided pigtails and a never-ending smile, but sometimes also close to tears, in front of her own camera and about hardships such as the loss of her wind instruments in the Southern Ocean, she moved an increasingly huge fan base. What makes this circumnavigator so appealing to many is her down-to-earth attitude. TV presenter Andi Robertson said: "What I like so much about Pip is that she is a completely normal person. She has both feet firmly on the ground, she comes from a completely normal family and has learned to sail on cheap dinghies Her father is a pastor. She has the same passion that Ellen MacArthur once showed."
Pip Hare with the Bengalos on the forecastle of "Medallia"
Having started with crowdfunding and boosted by the last-minute sponsor medal, Philipp "Pip" Hare managed to realize her great dream with enormous personal contribution and with a small, loyal team. Arriving at the dock, Hare said: "We - me and 'Medallia' - are pretty happy to be here. This boat has had enough of me now." Pip Hare set his sights on her next Vendée Globe launch the night she arrived: "This is by no means my last Vendée Globe. Not at all. Well, you've seen it and know what to expect and where I am If I can improve, I have to come back. It's just an incredible race, too. It makes you grow as a person. So why shouldn't I want to do it again?"
After the race is also before the race for Pip Hare: The Briton is still celebrating here, but she has already announced her comeback for the tenth edition of the Vendée Globe
A star in his Finnish homeland: "Stark" skipper Ari Huusela
"TSE 4My Planet" skipper AlexiBarrier
Six boats were still in the running at the end of the 96th day at sea. The next skipper is expected to be Didac Cost ("One Planet One Ocean") in Les Sables-d'Olonne. At the bottom of the list is Ari Huusela from Finland, who had to cover almost 3300 nautical miles to the finish on the morning of February 12th. The "Stark" skipper recently managed to shorten the gap to the AlexiBarrier ("TSE 4MyPlanet") ahead of him to only around 60 nautical miles.
Here you can find the tracking and the results (please click!).
