Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine 2019 728x90

Maiden Storyville documentary on BBC4 tonight

by Editor 11 Nov 2019 18:12 GMT 11 November 2019
Maiden - Whitbread Round the World Race 1989/90 © YachtsandYachting

The inspirational story of how Tracy Edwards, a 24-year-old cook on charter boats, became the skipper of the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

Tracy’s dream was opposed on all sides: her male competitors thought an all-women crew would never make it, the chauvinistic yachting press took bets on her failing, and potential sponsors rejected her, fearing the girls would die at sea and generate bad publicity.

Tracy, however, refused to give up: she remortgaged her home and bought a second-hand boat, putting everything on the line to ensure the team made it to the starting line. With the support of her remarkable crew, she went on to shock the yachting world and prove that women are the equal of men.

Find out more on the BBC website here.

Related Articles

Maiden to race in the Ocean Global Race 2023
Up against other historic Whitbread boats from the 70's onwards Tracy Edwards MBE and title sponsor of The Maiden Factor World Tour, DP World, the global logistics leader, are delighted to announce that the iconic yacht Maiden and her all-female crew will enter the 2023 Ocean Global Race (OGR). Posted on 20 Feb
Maiden arrives in New York
Met by a flotilla of boats at the Statue of Liberty Maiden sailed into New York on Wednesday 1 June and was meet by a flotilla of boats at the iconic Statue of Liberty at around 1700hrs and escorted in to One 15 Brooklyn Marina. Posted on 3 Jun 2022
Iconic yacht Maiden to arrive in New York
Empowering girls through education The iconic yacht Maiden and her all-female crew will arrive in New York on June 1, with a mission to raise awareness and funds for girls' educational projects around the world and change the narrative around what a girl can achieve. Posted on 1 Jun 2022
Maiden sets sail on three-year world tour
All-female crew departs from Dubai Maiden's eagerly awaited departure on the 2021-2024 World Tour took place today when the iconic yacht left the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club on her 90,000nm journey, skippered by the legendary Marie-Claude Kieffer Heys. Posted on 15 Jan 2022
DP World title sponsor of Maiden's new 3-year tour
Aimed at driving education and empowering young women globally The Maiden Factor are delighted to announce their new title sponsor, DP World, the global logistics leader ahead of the launch of a World Tour aimed at driving education and empowering young women globally. Posted on 6 Oct 2021
Two more inspiring women support Maiden Factor
Professional photographer and footballer the latest 'voices' A professional photographer from the UK and a professional football player from Jordan join Whoopi Goldberg and Jamie Lee Curtis as Maiden Factor 'Voices'. Posted on 4 Jul 2020
Tracy Edwards MBE TED Talk now live online
These unusual times require things to be done a bit differently! These unusual times require things to be done a bit differently! Tracy was asked to do a TED talk but due to Covid-19 it was not done in person, but online thousands of miles away during lockdown. Posted on 1 Jul 2020
Second Maiden Factor Voice announced
Jamie Lee Curtis joins, in her role as a human rights campaigner Supporting The Maiden Factor project the Voices will be a group of influential and inspiring women, men and young people from around the world; coming together with the common goal of generating awareness of the importance of girls' education. Posted on 2 Jun 2020
Whoopi Goldberg announced as Maiden Factor Voice
To help change the lives of girls who are not in education Supporting The Maiden Factor project the Voices will be a group of influential and inspiring women - and men - from around the world; coming together with the common goal of generating awareness of the importance of girls' education. Posted on 10 Nov 2019
Maiden continues on her worldwide voyage
Liz Wardley takes over the helm from Wendy Tuck in USA Nearly 30 years ago, Tracy Edwards MBE sailed into the record books on Maiden with the first all-female crew in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race. Posted on 7 Nov 2019