On Thursday 22 April, Pip Hare, who was the first British sailor to complete the 2020/21 Vendée Globe solo non-stop round the world race, will be our second special guest in a new series of Ask Me Anything sessions on the YBW forum.

Pip Hare, amassed a huge following during her exploits in the Vendée Globe, crossing the finish line in an impressive 19th place despite having one of the oldest boats in the fleet and one of the smallest budgets. She is only the 8th ever female skipper to complete the Vendée Globe.

Pip faced a raft of difficulties during her Vendée Globe race. At the end of November 2020 her IMOCA60, Medallia lost one of its hydrogenerators, meaning she had to save her diesel reserves for power generation, leaving her with no heating in the south.

Pip delighted with her rudder repair in the 2020/21 Vendée Globe

On 2 January her wind sensor broke down, leaving her with no reliable wind information. Her only option was to set her autopilot to compass mode, sleeping with one hand on the pilot remote control at all times in case of sudden wind shifts.

It seemed disaster had struck mid-Pacific, when her port rudder stock cracked and it looked, briefly, as if Pip’s competitive race would be over. She was, she admitted, devastated. However, in a typical can-do attitude, Pip Hare managed to remove and replace the rudder, and resumed racing having lost just two places.

During the course of the race, Pip Hare’s brilliant communication – be it written or via her regular video reports – showed the world that not only is she a gifted sailor, but she is a talented communicator too.

Pip Hare rounds Cape Horn in the Vendée Globe 2020/21

So who better to ask along for our second Ask My Anything session over on the YBW forum? Pip will be joining us on the forum on Thursday 22 April to answer questions about her career, how she got to the Vendée start (and finish) line, what her plans are now and anything else boat related you may be inclined to ask.

The thread will be open for anyone to read, but if you want to ask a question, make sure you register and create a free YBW forum account.