- Sport:
- Sailing - 470 class
- Current Address:
- Weymouth
In the British youth and junior ranks Pippa was one of the most successful skippers in recent history. Having started sailing at the age of 5 in an Optimist she then crewed and helmed Cadets from age 8. She very quickly got the bug and her quest for an Olympic medal continued as she stepped up and moved into the RYA Youth Programme.
In 2006 Pippa was selected into the GBR Skandia World Class Performance Squad as one of the youngest members. In her first event in Miami she finished 3rd and then beat her main UK rival at the Hyeres Olympic Regatta in May.
2008 was a fantastic year for Pippa, she won Gold at the Yngling North American Championships, beating the World Champions in the process. At the Beijing Olympics Pippa was part of the Yngling crew who won Gold, aged just 22 years of age, having also won Gold at the European and World Championships in the same year.
In a regatta re-shuffle for the London 2012 Olympics Yngling was dropped from the competition, forcing Pippa to set her sights on a new challenge. She chose the 470 class, teaming up with Saskia Clark.
Saskia began sailing aged 8 at the Royal Harwich Yacht Club near her home in Essex. Winning national titles in the Optimist (the U16 boat for girls and boys) she also represented the UK at the World and European Championships. From there she moved on to the Laser Radial class and won the European Youth title.
Quickly progressing through the ranks in several different classes, Saskia won the Laser Radial Youth Europeans in 1996, then made the step into double handed sailing and into her current class, the 470. Sailing with Christina Bassadone, they won Bronze at her first major event, the 2005 Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma and finished on the podium at many of the major World class Regattas, including a Bronze at the 2007 ISAF World Championships in Cascais. This success meant they were positioned at the top of the World rankings for over a year resulting in selection for Team GB and a credible 6th place finish at the Beijing Olympic Games, as part of the most successful sailing team ever.
Together Pippa and Saskia have already won Bronze at the 2009 Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta despite only sailing together for a couple of months. Their combined skill set and experience stands them in great stead for the London 2012 Olympics, where they will be aiming to win Gold.
Achievements:
470
2009 Bronze – Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta
Pippa
2008 Gold, Olympic Games, Beijing
2008 Gold – European Championships
2008 Gold – World Championships, Miami
2007 Gold - Qingdao Pre Olympic Test Event
2007 Gold - Cascais World Championships
2007 Gold - Breitling Medemblik Regatta
2007 Silver - Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma
2007 Gold - Yngling North American Championships
2006 Bronze - North American Championships, Miami
Saskia
2008 6th - Olympic Games, Beijing
2008 7th - 470 World Championships
2008 4th - Holland Regatta
2008 6th - Hyeres OCR
2008 Bronze - HRH Princess Sofia Trophy
2007 Gold - Skandia Sail for Gold Reg.
2007 4th - SPA Olympic Regatta
2007 Gold - North American Championships
2007 Bronze - ISAF Worlds
