The Team

Behind The Scenes

One woman sails around the world, but there is a strong team behind her all the way…

Pip

Skipper: Solo sailing may be my chosen sport, but I couldn’t do it without a dedicated team of people behind me helping me to realise my dream. From years of technical experience preparing IMOCAs to team management and media relations, my 2024 Vendée Globe campaign is very much a team effort. Whether I’m on shore or off, I rely on their expertise and skill so that I can focus on being the best skipper I can. So let me introduce them…

Joff

Technical Director: Joff Brown is one of the most experienced Technical Directors in Vendée Globe history having successfully managed five campaigns through to finishing the race. Joff is responsible for both the preparation of our IMOCA 60 and also the research and development program to ensure the boat is fast and strong.

Lou

Operations Director: Lou Adams is the force that drives the business and operational side of the team ensuring we meet all the objectives for our partnerships and our own performance. Her role is a juggling act and on any day Lou will be keeping our sponsors updated with the latest news, organising events and talks and overseeing the complicated logistics for the campaign. She is the glue that holds this small team together; managing and motivating everyone through the rollercoaster ride that is a Vendée Globe campaign.

Mel

Campaign Support Manager: Mel Cooke supports the shore based activities of the team, balancing the logistical needs of a campaign with events in multiple countries with day-to-day administration. No day is the same for Mel and the whole team rely on her organisational skills.

Hayley

Social Media Lead: Hayley Clark supports Pip with her social media accounts, helping her share all the excitement, drama and challenges of an international offshore racing campaign. She’s the voice of our followers and supporters, making sure we keep you updated with all the latest news and insight from Pip and her team.

Ollie

Senior Préparateur: Ollie works as part of the technical team bringing a breadth of experience from years of working on competitive sailing campaigns as well as sailing himself. Ollie has competed in the Mini series as well as sailing in the class 40s and Figaro’s.

Alex

Junior Préparateur: Alex works as part of the technical team learning how the boat systems work. He is new to the off-shore sailing campaigns and is getting to know how IMOCA’s work.

Will

Junior Préparateur: Will also works as part of the technical team with his main focus on the rigging. Will has previously worked commissioning and rigging Sun Fast 3300’s and is a keen yacht racer himself in the double handed fleets.

Juliette

Administrative Assistant: Juliette works closely with Mel in the office to ensure the smooth day to day running of the campaign. She is a key member of the team, helping to ensure our kit is ordered and branded, to keeping our YouTube channel up to date and much much more.

Lorna

Accounts Manager: Lorna Phipps manages all our accounts and is a vital part of the team. She has huge experience working across the sailing industry in finance so fully understands the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of keeping the financial aspects of the campaign going.

Pip’s Story.

Since leaving school at the age of 18, Pip Hare has made sailing her life. Despite growing up in a land locked county in the East of England, Pip has dreamed of taking part in the Vendée Globe race since first reading about it as a teenager, while still at school.

Pip has a professional sailing career which spans 25 years, she has sailed most of the world’s oceans but only found the opportunity to break into solo sailing ten years ago, when she entered the OSTAR race from Plymouth UK to Newport, USA. Since completing that race Pip has worked her way through the International ranks of solo and ocean racing, competing in all the major classes, training with determination, project managing and fundraising for her own campaigns every step of the way.

Pip’s passion and drive is evident every time she gets on a boat, she qualified for a place on the start line of the world’s toughest yacht race, with a tiny budget and a support team made up of volunteers and friends. When asked why she wants to race in the Vendée Globe Pip says, ‘Because it is one of the toughest sporting events on the planet, and men and women of all ages and backgrounds compete on equal terms. Because racing one of these immense boats alone at sea forces me to be the best person I possibly could on every level. Because I love the ocean, I love the challenge, I want always to improve.’

In June 2020 Medallia joined Pip as title sponsor for the Vendée Globe campaign, allowing her to recruit a small team and prepare the boat in the best possible condition to take on the world in November 2020.