{"id":157832,"date":"2025-05-13T06:28:52","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T05:28:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/?p=157832"},"modified":"2025-05-13T08:37:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T07:37:41","slug":"has-social-media-influencer-sailing-gone-too-far-nikki-henderson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/uncategorized\/has-social-media-influencer-sailing-gone-too-far-nikki-henderson-157832","title":{"rendered":"‘Has \u2018social media influencer\u2019 sailing gone too far?’ \u2013 Nikki Henderson"},"content":"With a Women's America's Cup<\/a> due to start in 2024, a gender balanced sailing event at the Paris Olympic Games, and female entries lining up for this year's Vend\u00e9e Globe,<\/a> female athletes around the globe are driving hard for success and representation in sailing. And not just onboard, but behind the scenes too.\r\n\r\nAs many of these women's stories demonstrate, there are still many areas of competitive sailing where there is still much work to be done towards the goal of gender equality, but we highlight and celebrate some women sailors who are driving change right now:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_149626\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Pip Hare. Photo: Lloyd Images[\/caption]\r\n

Pip Hare<\/h2>\r\nPip Hare<\/a> needs little introduction to Yachting World<\/em> readers, having set herself a target of making it to the start of the last Vend\u00e9e Globe<\/a>, and getting there<\/a> through incredible hard work and force of will.\r\n\r\nShe applied that same determination to her race, pushing the positively ancient \u2013 in IMOCA<\/a> terms \u2013 Medallia<\/em> around the course to an incredible 19th place, showcasing her competitive talents despite sailing a much slower, more unwieldy boat than almost all of her rivals. Now she has a foiling IMOCA 60<\/a>, and continues to push hard to be competitive<\/a> against highly funded male French skippers.\r\n\r\nPip is a phenomenal example of doing things on your own terms - she forged her own path into the world of professional solo ocean racing, and never shies away from the fact that she, as a 50-year-old woman, will be sailing her boat differently to the younger men she is starting against.\r\n\r\nHaving also admitted to a degree of \u2018imposter syndrome\u2019 in her early IMOCA days, Pip is now a respected advocate for women in sailing and uses her voice to highlight causes that are important to her, including mental health. She is an absolute inspiration, in every sense of the word.\r\n\r\nPip is currently seeking qualification miles for the 2024 Vend\u00e9e Globe, and the skipper who heads up the selection table<\/a> is a fellow British female sailor, Sam Davies<\/a>, who\u2019ll be lining up for her fourth Vend\u00e9e with her new Initiatives Couer<\/em><\/a> in November.\r\n\r\nOther experienced women ocean skippers competing for a place in the Vend\u00e9e this year include Isabelle Joschke<\/a> and Justine Mettreaux<\/a>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150551\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Clarisse Cremer. Photo: Olivier Blanchet\/Alea\/Vend\u00e9e Globe[\/caption]\r\n

Clarisse Cremer<\/h2>\r\nClarisse Cr\u00e9mer is the fastest woman ever to sail around the world non-stop, having finished 12th in the last Vend\u00e9e Globe and set a new record time of 87 days 02 hours 24 minutes.\r\n\r\nBut Clarisse has demonstrated another remarkable trait over the past year: she doesn\u2019t back down. When she was dropped by sponsors Banque Populaire<\/a>, apparently after taking a year out to have her first child left her qualification in doubt, Cr\u00e9mer posted a furious response on social media.\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s unusual - usually skippers who lose their backers quietly shift into another fleet. But the fact that Cr\u00e9mer\u2019s case centred on her becoming a mother was incendiary - the story became a huge news storm, and led to Banque Populaire dropping out of the Vend\u00e9e<\/a> altogether.\r\n\r\nCr\u00e9mer secured a new team and new backer, and has been working hard to get into this year\u2019s Vend\u00e9e Globe - only for another firestorm to erupt around her when anonymous emails purported to show she had cheated during the 2020 race<\/a> by discussing routing with her husband. Once again, Cr\u00e9mer did not stay quiet - she waived anonymity to discuss the allegations made against her, and to vehemently refute them. This week the French Sailing Federation cleared both her and her husband of any misconduct<\/a>.\r\n\r\nIn a world where pro female sailors are often left feeling that they should be grateful for any opportunities that come their way, Cr\u00e9mer has shown that she refuses to be intimidated or cowed.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150801\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Cole Brauer. Photo: Cole Brauer \u2013 First Light @colebraueroceanracing\/Globe Solo Challenge[\/caption]\r\n

Cole Brauer<\/h2>\r\nCole Brauer sailed into the history books yesterday when she became the first American woman ever to sail around the world solo non-stop<\/a>. It is truly remarkable that Brauer\u2019s 2024 Global Solo Challenge<\/a> race 2nd place finish was the first time this has been achieved, but she also showcased ocean racing to a whole new audience along the way.\r\n\r\nBrauer, 29, posted hugely entertaining and relatable videos throughout the race, building a huge social media following (nearly half a million followers on Instagram<\/a> for starters) who followed her every step, including being thrown across the cabin in a broach and having to self-administer an IV drip after severe seasickness.\r\n\r\nAt just 5\u20192\u201d, Brauer says she has always been motivated by people saying she is too small, or too young, to take on such a challenge. There is already chat of a possible future Vend\u00e9e Globe campaign for the Long Island sailor.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150400\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Hannah Mills. Photo: C. Gregory \/ INEOS Britannia[\/caption]\r\n

Hannah Mills<\/h2>\r\nNot only the most successful female Olympic sailor in history, Hannah Mills<\/a> is bidding to become the winner of the first ever Women\u2019s America\u2019s Cup.\r\n\r\nAs CEO of the British Athena Pathway<\/a>, Mills is leading the British women\u2019s and youth teams<\/a> at the 37th America\u2019s Cup this year, but since retiring from Olympic sailing she has also been a driving force in increasing opportunities for women sailors to compete in high-profile foiling events, particularly SailGP, where she has raced as strategist, a role she has shared with fellow Brit Hannah Diamond<\/a>.\r\n\r\nDiamond, along with sailors like Emily Nagel<\/a>, are part of a new generation of female sailors with strong analytical skills who have competed in both ocean racing and with foiling teams.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150802\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Dee Caffari (left) and Alexia Barrier (right) doing some team building in the alps[\/caption]\r\n

Alexia Barrier & Dee Caffari<\/h2>\r\nAlexia Barrier's co-skipper Dee Caffari describes her as 'a force of nature', so when Barrier announced that she was forming an all-female challenge for the Jules Verne Trophy<\/a> it was clear she was serious. The Famous Project has made huge strides forward since its launch last summer, taking delivery of both a MOD70 and Francis Joyon\u2019s former 103ft Idec Sport<\/em>, and securing sponsorship from global tech company Wipro.\r\n\r\nTogether with fellow female trailblazer Dee Caffari<\/a>, the pair have assembled a talented team of female sailors, and are working with some of the best multihull racers in the business as they prepare to push the giant trimaran around the world non-stop. Although their initial aim is to set a benchmark time for an all-female crew, this is a performance-driven team who have already proven that they are not to be underestimated.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150806\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Photo: INOES Britannia[\/caption]\r\n

Jo Grindley<\/h2>\r\nFlick through the \u2018senior leadership\u2019 pages of most America\u2019s Cup<\/a> team websites, and there are vanishingly few women. Jo Grindley<\/a> is one exception, as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of INEOS Britannia<\/a>, the British Cup challenger.\r\n\r\nJo has been there from the start - having worked alongside Sir Ben Ainslie<\/a> for 17 years, including through three Olympic campaigns, before the pair decided to set up a British America\u2019s Cup team, the first of three challenges (Land Rover BAR). An America\u2019s Cup team depends almost entirely on its funding, and as CMO\/CCO she has delivered three campaigns with solid backing<\/a> - no small achievement and a major part of Britain\u2019s bid to bring the Cup home.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150803\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Celebrations as the crew of Pen Duick VI take line honours in Leg 3. Credit: Rob Havill\/Ocean Globe Race[\/caption]\r\n

Heather Thomas and Marie Tabarly<\/h2>\r\nThe Cape Horn<\/a> leg of the Ocean Globe Race<\/a> was won by Marie Tabarly, on Pen Duick VI<\/em><\/a>, followed by Heather Thomas skippering her all-female crew on Maiden<\/em><\/a>. Both are skippering iconic yachts through some of the toughest waters in the world, and with the fleet now on their final leg, Maiden<\/em> is challenging for the overall race lead. If they were to achieve it, it would be the first time an all-female team has ever won a round the world race.\r\n

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Francesca Clapcich<\/h2>\r\nClapcich broke down boundaries when she was part of the 11th Hour Racing team<\/a> which won the 2022-23 Ocean Race<\/a>, not only a key member of the first US team to take the win, but also speaking out about LGBTQI+ issues, and being a mother in the offshore racing world.\r\n\r\nShe is now spearheading the Upwind by MerConcept<\/a> programme to give women sailors more offshore multihull racing opportunities in the Multi 50 class.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_150805\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Hannah Snellgrove, Laser Radial[\/caption]\r\n

Hannah Snellgrove<\/h2>\r\nHannah is the most recent member of the British Olympic sailing team to be announced but her path to the Games is inspirational for her tenacity in overcoming many obstacles along the way. \u201cI like to think that enthusiasm and stubbornness have made up for a possible lack of natural talent,\u201d she joked on her social media page<\/a> when it was announced she would sail the ILCA 6 at Paris this summer.\r\n\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s 25 years since I failed my Salterns Red Pennant, 23 years since I was told I had no potential, 9 years since I was dropped from funding, and 2 years since I thought an injury would end my career.\r\n\r\n\u201cI guess where I\u2019m going with this is that for anyone who needs to hear this today\u2026 the view can sometimes be nice when you take the scenic route.\u201d\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_146899\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]\"\" Neusch\u00e4fer finds time for a selfie while up the mast on Minnehaha. Photo: Kirsten Neusch\u00e4fer\/GGR2022[\/caption]\r\n

Kirsten Neusch\u00e4fer<\/h2>\r\nThe awards have just kept coming for Kirsten Neusch\u00e4fer<\/a>, winner of the Golden Globe Race<\/a> in 2023, and the first woman ever to win a solo around the world race in doing so. She\u2019s currently up for an prestigious Laureus World Sports Award - previous winners include such household names as Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt, Roger Federer and Lionel Messi.\r\n\r\n
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","excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our defences have run out: social media has well and truly infiltrated our precious, antiquated sailing world. It\u2019s terrifying to think that our secret passage to escapism and isolation at sea has been discovered. But, like most things that scare us, could there be a thrilling aspect to this challenge? Decades ago, sailors could go \u2018dark\u2019 and justifiably claim the atmospheric conditions weren\u2019t great and the SSB radio wasn\u2019t working. Now, if we don\u2019t live stream every part of daily life at sea, our followers feel disappointed. As this past Vend\u00e9e Globe has demonstrated, raw, unedited, and \u2018real\u2019 daily updates are now considered the norm. It\u2019s expected \u2013 by sponsors, race organisers and content-craving supporters. And so, life at sea for any sailing professional has changed. Now we have to adapt to not one, but two higher powers: Mother Nature, and her fierce deputy: The Algorithm. Depression in the face of a storm is never useful for a sailor. The shift has happened, and there is no going back. So we need to adjust our course and harness its power. One upside to wide stream internet at sea is that, when used effectively, it provides a platform for lesser-known sailors to gain recognition and \u2018win\u2019 in a broader sense. Violette Dorange is a fantastic example of this. She now has 650,000 followers on Instagram and 3.1 million likes on TikTok, having come 23rd in her first Vend\u00e9e Globe. To put Violette\u2019s online prowess into perspective, race winner Charlie Dalin has 73,000 followers on Instagram. Starting the Vend\u00e9e at all is considered the pinnacle of many a solo-sailing career. But to get noticed among a fleet of 40 incredible competitors is another feat, and one she mastered with aplomb. Article continues below… That impact will be a huge bonus for Violette as her career develops. There\u2019s no doubt she will go on to achieve great things in sailing, and her social media mastery will be part of that story. Another positive thing about social media and an increased online presence for sailing is how it casts the net wider. Participation in major sailing events around the world is decreasing and it\u2019s a major problem. We need to attract more people back to \u2013 or new people into \u2013 the sport. US ocean racer Cole Brauer has nearly half a million followers on Instagram, including many of those harder-to-reach audiences: women, younger people. Most of her followers were non-sailors \u2013 she told Yachting World that many followers didn\u2019t even know she was competing in a solo race. Maybe you think that\u2019s silly. I think it\u2019s brilliant. Sailing at the top of \u2018normal\u2019 people\u2019s newsfeeds normalises the sport and will inevitably tempt more people onto the water. But while I do have some enthusiasm for social media, I believe we need to heed caution. There is a shadowier side to the cyber influence at sea. Practically, it\u2019s really hard work. Memories of endless \u2018liquid detected in charging port\u2019 alerts, trying to work a …Continue reading »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4389,"featured_media":157833,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[969,1],"tags":[1633],"review_manufacturer":[],"acf":[],"introduction":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157832"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157832"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157832\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":157834,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157832\/revisions\/157834"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157833"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157832"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=157832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}