- Hannah White enters the Guinness Book of World RecordsTM (pending official ratification by Guinness World Records) after crossing the English Channel solo in a record time of under four hours in her hydrofoiling Moth
- Hannah's Cross Channel record marks the beginning of her campaign to break the women's one nautical mile speed record ‑ a quest that is due to take place in early 2016
- This is the latest in a long list of physical challenges for Hannah, who is a keen adventurer and sailor
Hannah White, Land Rover Global Ambassador, has become the fastest person to cross the Channel in a single‑handed dinghy. She completed the gruelling task in a sailing hydrofoil, a small boat which lifts above the water on two hydrofoils as it gathers speed. Starting from Cap de Gris in France, she arrived at Dover in England in a record time of 3 hours, 44 minutes and 39 seconds.
Hannah, a relative beginner in hydrofoil sailing, only started to learn how to master this unique boat in February. Training for this Channel crossing challenge is a precursor to her ultimate quest: to break the Women's Speed Sailing World Record over one nautical mile next year in a unique, purpose‑built sailing hydrofoil.
A keen adventurer, Hannah has previously sailed the Atlantic solo three times, participated in the gruelling Haute Route Cycle Race across the French Alps and kayaked 205 miles across the rivers of England. She has been a Land Rover Global Ambassador since 2013.
Hannah White said: "I'm much more used to an arduous 3,000‑mile slog across oceans as opposed to a 24‑mile sprint across the Channel, so the transition has been a real eye‑opener. Speed sailing requires a very different physiology to long distance races, so this was really an opportunity for me to build my skills over a shorter distance in a hydrofoiling boat."
Mark Cameron, Jaguar Land Rover Global Experiential Marketing Director said: "This Channel crossing highlights Hannah's incredible ability to push herself beyond the limits of normal capability. As a global ambassador for Land Rover, Hannah embodies all the characteristics that are so central to our brand; strength, determination and an ability to go above and beyond."
Hannah will be attempting to break the Women's Speed Sailing World Record over one nautical mile in the first quarter of 2016 in Speedbird, her state‑of‑the‑art, unique hydrofoil sailboat. Land Rover is collaborating in the development of the Speedbird boat, drawing from its unparalleled innovation, engineering expertise and industry‑leading facilities to ensure the boat is capable of breaking the current world record.
Hannah will be exhibiting the Speedbird boat at the Cardiff Act of the Extreme Sailing SeriesTM from 19‑21 June 2015.
ENDS
