Meet the Crew: Chris Ingram
30 October 2015
Cornish crew member Chris Ingram is set to race across the Southern Ocean when Race 3 starts from Cape Town on Saturday.
Find out more about why he is taking on the Race of His Life, and what he has missed most about life in Truro, Cornwall during his training.
Name: Chris Ingram
Age: 47
Occupation: Company director
Nationality: British
Signed up for: The Southern Ocean Leg 3
Team: ClipperTelemed+
Why did you decide to
take on the race?
I have my own 34ft yacht, and do a lot of sailing solo
across the channel. I have known about the race for around eight years, and
have wanted to do it for a long time, but for various reasons I have not been
able - now the time is right. I would never be able to take my own boat into
the Southern Ocean, so this is a great opportunity to experience it as part of
a team.
How has training gone
for you?
I am a commercially-endorsed Yachtmaster, and have 10,000
nautical miles under my belt, but I have learnt so much on training when going
on to the bigger Clipper 70. I now want to apply to be a Training Skipper
myself. It has been so interesting to see how the Training Skippers adapt and
deliver the technical information in a succinct way that is easy to digest.
It has been great to train as a team, as I had been used to sailing by myself. It has also been satisfying helping others learn.
What has been the
most challenging thing so far?
Living in Cornwall, I have missed my Cornish pasties a lot,
so I did bring some with me for the team during training!
What are you most
looking forward to?
I’m most looking forward to making the boat go fast in
challenging conditions as part of a great team.
What do you think
will be the hardest part of the trip?
The interpersonal challenge will be tough. During training,
it was very interesting to see how my character changed when I was sleep
deprived. I used to do a lot of white-water kayaking in places such as Nepal,
so I am not afraid of lots of water.
What advice would you
give to someone about to start training?
I’d advise people to just listen to the Skipper and politely
ignore anyone else trying to give advice during training. The Skipper will give
the information in the correct Clipper Race way that means everyone will learn the same
drills and terminology so they can work together safely.
To follow Chris and race the world's oceans, click here to apply.