Gosport MP meets Haslar Marina based sailor aiming to compete in epic round the world Vendee Globe race

The Gosport MP was given a unique insight into the sporting scene and the challenges it brings.

Gentoo’s skipper James Harayda showcased the IMOCA 60 ‘Gentoo’ yacht – Gentoo is a particularly fast breed of penguin – and explained his life as an offshore solo sailor.

Already a double British Double Handed National Champion, alongside Dee Caffari, the Singapore-born Harayda is the youngest skipper in the IMOCA Globe Race Series.

Among the biggest events in his calendar in this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race and the 2024 Vendée Globe.

More people have climbed to the summit of Mount Everest than single-handedly circumnavigated the globe by sail. And the Vendee Globe, which started in 1989 and takes place every four years, has only ever been won by a Frenchman.

Brits Ellen MacArthur and Alex Thomson have both finished runner-up in the race, in 2004/05 and 2016/17 respectively.

At just 26, Harayda is likely to be the youngest competitor in the race when it starts in November 2024.

‘It was great to meet Caroline and show her around Gentoo,’ he said. ‘As a team, we have been made to feel very welcome at our base in Haslar Marina. It’s humbling to have such amazing support from our local community.’

The pair found common ground on sustainability and combating plastic waste within the community.

For several years, the MP has participated in campaigns to reduce plastic consumption, while the Gentoo team recently announced a partnership with the ocean charity Blue Marine Foundation.

The team has an active role in supporting their initiatives, including the Solent Oyster Restoration project.

Ms Dinenage said: ‘I was pleased to meet James and the Gentoo team to hear more about their exciting plans and their work around plastic pollution. I hope the whole Gosport community will get behind them and follow their progress as they work towards this incredible challenge.’