The Ocean Cruising Club has announced the winners of its 2024 awards for sailing and voyaging accomplishments featuring its Seamanship Award to British Vendée Globe racer Pip Hare and the Lifetime Award to Canadian Victor Wejer.
THE OCC SEAMANSHIP AWARD
The OCC Seamanship Award recognises exceptional skill or bravery at sea. Pip Hare gained international attention when her foiling OMOCA 60, SV Medallia, was dismasted during the 2024 Vendée Globe Race.
Pip was one of 40 sailors racing single-handed, non-stop and without assistance in what is often considered the greatest sailing race around the world. She was in fifteenth place, approximately 800 nautical miles south of Australia, when her boat lost its mast. Fortunately, Pip was not injured but she had to abandon the race and seek safe harbour.
Armed with a hacksaw and gloves, she removed most of the rig, preserving the hull’s integrity and saving the boom, furlers and one outrigger. With only materials on board and her ingenuity and skill, Pip erected a jury-rigged mast, enabling her to fly the trysail. In her blog, viewed by thousands of sailing enthusiasts worldwide, Pip reported that her “slow boat to Australia” was able to make progress north. After 13 days, in conditions up to gale force winds, she made landfall in Melbourne on 28 December, 2024.
“I am very humbled to receive this award from OCC,” Pip notes. She is currently trying to find another major sponsor and hopes to have a boat on the starting line for the 2028 Vendée Globe Race.
THE OCC LIFETIME AWARD
Victor Wejer received the OCC’s Lifetime Award based on his outstanding 20 years of service and support to cruising sailors venturing through the Northwest Passage. Based in Ontario, Canada, Victor embraced new technologies by offering customised, personalised guidance including live group video conferences with OCC boats as they journeyed through the ice-riddled waters of the Canadian high latitudes.
One of the many OCC Port Officer Representatives, Victor has taken his duties well beyond the extensive support offered to the world’s sailors. An author of the Polar Yacht Guide (which is available on the Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation’s website), Victor has supported more than 100 boats transiting the Northwest Passage.
As he notes, “I have gotten many calls from adventurers wanting to make the Northwest Passage. For most, I strongly advise them to stay away. A perfect crossing will have no story to tell at the end. No problems. No issues.”
Additional award winners for 2024 include:
- Vasey Vase: Tim Riley and Carol Osborne
- OCC Jester Award: Jacqueline Evers
- David Wallis Trophy: Wim and Elisabeth van Blaricum
- Water Music Trophy: Carla Gregory and Alex Helbig
- OCC Award (members): Zdenka Griswold; Bill Weigel
- OCC Award (open): Jesse and Sharon Rose James with the Trinidad Operations Centre; Bob Bradfield
- Qualifier’s Mug: Fabian Fernandez
- OCC Events and Rallies Award: Reg Barker
- OCC Environmental Award: Ivar Smits and Floris van Hees
- Port Officer Service Award: Cristian Yanzer
Nominations are made by OCC members; selection is by an experienced panel of bluewater cruisers and approved by the OCC General Committee.
