First audition for the new Spice Girls

The first trial for Concise's all girl crew took place in the Solent © Louay Habib / The Spice Race

The first trial for Concise's all girl crew took place in the Solent © Louay Habib / The Spice Race

Friday 25th July, saw the Class 40 "Concise" hold the first trial for its all girl crew for the forthcoming "Spice Race". Potential "Spice Racers", Carrie Biggs, Jamie Harris and Eleanor Littlejohn put the Class 40 yacht through its paces on the Solent, under the watchful eye of Spice Race organiser, Lizzie Shawcroft and "Concise" Captain, Ned Collier-Wakefield.

The hopeful "Spice Girls" took Concise up the Solent before performing a series of spinnaker jibes back towards their home base in the Hamble.

Having followed their efforts from the pursuit boat and later talked to the girls onshore, Spice Race C.E.O., Tony Lawson said that "the girls seemed really keen to work together and there was a lot less grandstanding than you would probably have had with a bunch of guys in a similar situation. That sort of attitude should help us to get a really good crew together over the next couple of months. The wind was only moderate so the girls didn't get the real Class 40 thing. Concise has clocked 27 knots and we only did 14 today, but that probably wasn't a bad thing in the circumstances."

The Spice Race, starts on the 15th November 2008 from the Royal Squadron line in Cowes, before the 4,321 mile run to Port Louis, Grenada. It is already attracting a great deal of attention. The organisers are seeking to hold "an event within an event" with several National Ladies Teams racing against each other offshore, for the first time. Currently there are teams from England and Holland showing interest, with a chance of additional competitors from America, France and Ireland.

Trials for the "Spice Girls" will continue through July and August, with the team being announced during the first week of September. Concise is still accepting trialists and are encouraging any girls who are interested in the race to apply as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, interest in the main event for Class 40 and IRC yachts continues to build, with enquiries coming from all over the world including China, Norway, South Africa, Germany, France and the UK.

As well as boats wanting to race, there have been enquiries from people who want to charter boats and individuals looking for crew positions, both paid and paying. For more information on the Spice Race, including notice of race, details of partner companies, crew opportunities and entry forms, can be found at www.spicerace.com