Hare delighted to return to sailing roots in race

Pip Hare has joined the newly-formed Canada Ocean Racing team for The Ocean Race Europe

A leading British sailor taking part in one of the world's most prestigious yacht races said it was "fantastic" to be competing in the waters where she learned her craft.

Pip Hare, 51, lived in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire and learned to sail on the River Deben in Suffolk.

As part of the Canada Ocean Racing team, she is taking part in The Ocean Race Europe, with the first of five legs seeing sailors travel from Kiel in Germany to Portsmouth.

"I grew up sailing here [in the North Sea]. We don't often get to race in this part of the world, so it's really nice to come back to my roots," said Hare.

The event began on Sunday, with sailors expected to arrive in Portsmouth on Thursday.

After leaving Britain, the second stage will see the race head to Cartagena in Spain.

Entrants will ultimately hope to reach the Adriatic Sea and Boka Bay, Montenegro, where the race is due to finish next month.

Hare suffered heartbreak when the mast of her yacht, the Medallia, snapped during a record attempt in last year's Vendée Globe race

Hare, who is now based in Dorset, said Canada Ocean Racing were "new kids on the block", having been formed just two months ago.

Last year, she experienced heartbreak as her attempt to become the first woman to finish a 24,300-mile (45,000km) solo race around the world for a second time was ended when the mast of her yacht snapped.

Hare, suffered a dismast about 800 nautical miles (1,480km) south of Australia during the Vendée Globe race and required two weeks to reach land.

Reflecting on the experience, she said it was "the most devastating part of my sporting career to date".

She said: "Even thinking about it now hurts... when you're a solo sailor you don't have any choice just to sort yourself out and get yourself to safety. To be the solution to the problem."

Hare will likely only sleep for 20 minutes at a time during the race

About 200 sailors have taken part in the Vendée Globe over the years, but only 114 have actually managed to cross the finish line due to the extreme conditions.

The sailors follow a route south past the continent of Africa and then head east toward Australasia.

They then sail around Antarctica, before sailing close to the tip of South America and up through the Atlantic Ocean towards France.

Hare said she was often asked if she got lonely during her sailing.

"I always say in answer to this question there is a massive difference between being lonely and being alone," she said.

"I choose to be alone; nobody chooses to be lonely.

"I know I have my friends, my family, the people who follow the race; I know there are so many people thinking of me, wishing me well, and I know they're going to be there when I get home."