Poole sailor Pip Hare has begun her latest challenge, competing in the four thousand five hundred nautical mile Ocean Race Europe.
The event started in Kiel, Germany, on Sunday 10 August and will see Pip race alongside six other British sailors and an international field in high-speed foiling IMOCA yachts.
She is part of Canada Ocean Racing’s Be Water Positive team, navigating a multi-leg course that includes stops in Portsmouth, Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy before finishing in Montenegro on 15 and 16 September. The final standings will be confirmed after a concluding scoring race in Boka Bay on 20 September.
Pip is a highly experienced offshore sailor with more than thirty years at sea. She is well known for her Vendée Globe achievements, including a dramatic self-rescue after dismasting during last year’s edition of the solo round-the-world race.
This year’s Ocean Race Europe brings together seven mixed-gender, multinational teams representing thirteen countries. Each crew is limited to four sailors and one onboard reporter, with at least one female sailor required in every team.
Race Director Phil Lawrence said the route would test every aspect of the sailors’ abilities, with conditions ranging from the busy shipping lanes of the North Sea to the open waters of the Atlantic and the changing winds of the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. He added that the race could be decided in the final scoring stage in Boka Bay.
The teams are not only competing for position but are also contributing to scientific research. Each yacht carries advanced instruments to collect ocean data, recording information on water temperature, carbon dioxide levels, microplastics, and environmental DNA.
Portsmouth will welcome the fleet between 14 and 17 August when they arrive for the second leg. The race village at Gunwharf Quays will host public events, VIP experiences, and pit lane tours.
Pip and her team currently sit in fourth position. Race progress can be followed on the official tracker here.