ABOUT PHIL SHARP
THE CLEANTECH SKIPPER
Whilst being competitive on the water, Phil has a passion for innovation and the environment. Over the years he has been directly exposed to toxic air pollutants emitted by vessels, which contribute significantly to climate change and the health of all on our planet.
In response, Phil has led a bid to support the maritime industry in meeting crucial climate change targets with the development of a practical and scalable hydrogen fuel cell electric system as a solution to replace fossil fuel power.
In 2020 he launched his award winning innovation, the Genevos Hydrogen Power Module.
“Green hydrogen and fuel cells have been identified as an important solution to meet both the performance and reliability needs of offshore vessels. OceansLab aims to demonstrate this breakthrough technology on a global scale in the world’s most extreme transatlantic and around the world races.”
Phil Sharp
OCEAN AMBASSADOR
OceansLab – Cleantech Accelerator
In 2019 Phil launched OceansLab, a development campaign of Energy Challenge. Its mission to accelerate the uptake of high performance clean innovations through the world’s most extreme ocean races.
Phil aims to demonstrate that green hydrogen is here today as a reliable solution through the demonstration in around the world professional races, The Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe.
MSC MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Imperial College London Alumni
As a mechanical engineer Phil’s problem solving skills have proved vital achieving reliability with a rare zero race retirements in his ocean racing career to date.
Phil is the inventor of the Genevos Hydrogen Power Module, he was a key design member for the first modular concept of wind turbine blades, and was the structural engineer for the booms of Yacht A, White Pearl, the largest yacht in the world today.
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
Three world records broken
Phil has broken three World Sailing Speed Records that have qualified as Guinness World Records.
- 2019, single-handed: Around the Isle of Wight (40 ft and single-handed) WSSRC, Class 40 OceansLab
- 2018, crewed: Round Britain and Ireland (<40 ft) WSSRC, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2016, single-handed: Cowes – Dinard, (<60 ft) WSSRC, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
CHAMPIONSHIPS & TROPHIES
Class 40 racing
Competing in the largest professional ocean racing championship in the Class 40 division, Phil achieved both Championships and European Trophies in 2017 and 2018.
25 PODIUMS, ZERO RACE RETIREMENTS
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Record – 2019 Around the Isle of Wight (40 ft and single-handed) WSSRC, Class 40 OceansLab
- 3rd – 2018 Route du Rhum, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- Record – Round Britain and Ireland (<40 ft) WSSRC, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2018 Normandy Channel Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 3rd – 2017 Transat Jacques Vabre, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2nd – 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2nd – 2017 Les Sables – Horta – Les Sables, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2017 Normandy Channel Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2017 Grand Prix Guyader, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- Record – 2016 Cowes – Dinard, (<60 ft) WSSRC, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2nd – 2016 Normandy Channel Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 3rd – 2016 The Transat bakerly (solo), Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- Record – 2015 Length of Britain, Sailing
- 3rd – 2015 Fastnet, Class 40
- 1st – 2014 Chicago – Mackinac Great Lake Race (double-handed), Seascape 27
- 2nd – 2013 Rolex Middle Sea Race, Level Class (Class 40)
- 1st – 2012 Rolex Middle Sea Race, Level Class (Class 40)
- 3rd- 2011 Solitaire du Figaro (solo) rookie class, 18th overall, Figaro
- 1st – 2011 Solo Basse Normandie (solo), Figaro
- 1st – 2011 Solo La Grande Motte (solo), Figaro
- 1st – 2010 UK Figaro Nationals (double), Figaro
- 1st – 2010 London Boat Show Skiff Grand Prix (helm), 49er
- 5th – 2007 Rolex Fastnet, (Helmsman) Volvo 60
- 1st – 2006 Route du Rhum (solo, France – Guadeloupe), Class 40
- 3rd – 2006 Mini Fastnet, (double) Mini 650
- 4th – 2005 Mini Transat (solo, France – Brazil), Mini 650
- 24hr Record for 2005 Mini Transat
- 3rd – 2005 Transgascogne (solo), Mini 650
- 4th – 2005 Open Demi Cle (double), Mini 650
- 6th – 2005 Mini Pavois (solo), Mini 650
- 2nd – 2005 Odysee D’Ulysse (double), Mini 650
- 1st – 2003 Cowes Week, Sunsail 36 class (Skipper)
- 1st – 2003 Student Yachting Nationals – Offshore, Sunfast 37
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Record – 2019 Around the Isle of Wight (40 ft and single-handed) WSSRC, Class 40 OceansLab
- 3rd – 2018 Route du Rhum, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- Record – Round Britain and Ireland (<40 ft) WSSRC, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2018 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2018 Normandy Channel Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 3rd – 2017 Transat Jacques Vabre, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2nd – 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2nd – 2017 Les Sables – Horta – Les Sables, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2017 Normandy Channel Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 1st – 2017 Grand Prix Guyader, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- Record – 2016 Cowes – Dinard, (<60 ft) WSSRC, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 2nd – 2016 Normandy Channel Race, Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- 3rd – 2016 The Transat bakerly (solo), Class 40 Imerys Clean Energy
- Record – 2015 Length of Britain, Sailing
- 3rd – 2015 Fastnet, Class 40
- 1st – 2014 Chicago – Mackinac Great Lake Race (double-handed), Seascape 27
- 2nd – 2013 Rolex Middle Sea Race, Level Class (Class 40)
- 1st – 2012 Rolex Middle Sea Race, Level Class (Class 40)
- 3rd- 2011 Solitaire du Figaro (solo) rookie class, 18th overall, Figaro
- 1st – 2011 Solo Basse Normandie (solo), Figaro
- 1st – 2011 Solo La Grande Motte (solo), Figaro
- 1st – 2010 UK Figaro Nationals (double), Figaro
- 1st – 2010 London Boat Show Skiff Grand Prix (helm), 49er
- 5th – 2007 Rolex Fastnet, (Helmsman) Volvo 60
- 1st – 2006 Route du Rhum (solo, France – Guadeloupe), Class 40
- 3rd – 2006 Mini Fastnet, (double) Mini 650
- 4th – 2005 Mini Transat (solo, France – Brazil), Mini 650
- 24hr Record for 2005 Mini Transat
- 3rd – 2005 Transgascogne (solo), Mini 650
- 4th – 2005 Open Demi Cle (double), Mini 650
- 6th – 2005 Mini Pavois (solo), Mini 650
- 2nd – 2005 Odysee D’Ulysse (double), Mini 650
- 1st – 2003 Cowes Week, Sunsail 36 class (Skipper)
- 1st – 2003 Student Yachting Nationals – Offshore, Sunfast 37
FACTS
Education: MEng (Hnrs) in Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London
Nationality: British
Date of Birth: 11 May 1981
Place of Birth: Jersey, Channel Islands
Career Highlights: Class 40 2006 Route du Rhum winner, Cowes-Dinard World Record
Offshore Class Experience: Mini 650, Figaro, Class 40, Volvo 60/70, Multi 50, IMOCA60
Inshore Class Experience: 49er, F18, Extreme 40, Diam24
Hobbies: Windsurfing, Triathlon, Sailing, Concept 2 rowing
SUCCEEDING
Against all odds
Sharp’s reaction to the mainsail crisis, which would have undoubtedly aborted the race of lesser skipper, encapsulates his conduct throughout the entirety of the race: courageous, innovative, relentless.
The Telegraph
MULTIPLE CHAMPION
Zero race retirements
His results to date have earned him a place in the premier league, one of the most respected sailors on the circuit as well as one of the kings of the Class 40. So for Sharp the next step is obvious: the Vendée Globe.
Seahorse Magazine
RESULTS DRIVEN
The one you can count on
No matter what it takes to succeed he will be able to deliver. And it’s not just sheer will and talent, skills and preparedness that make the difference. Phil Sharp also airs this positivity and seemingly endless energy only true champions have. He is the one you can always count on.
Yacht Mag