Tracy Edwards facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tracy Edwards
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Edwards in 2017
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| Born | 5 September 1962 |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Roehampton |
| Children | 1 |
Tracy Edwards is a famous British sailor. She was born on September 5, 1962. In 1989, she led the first-ever all-female crew in a big sailing race around the world. This race was called the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race. Because of her amazing achievement, she became the first woman to win the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy. She also received a special honor called an MBE. Tracy has written books about her exciting adventures at sea.
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Early Life and Sailing Adventures
Tracy Edwards grew up in Pangbourne, England. When she was young, she dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, just like her mother. After some changes in her family life, she moved to Wales with her mother and stepfather.
At 16, Tracy left home and traveled across Europe. She then found a job working on a yacht in Piraeus, Greece. This was her first experience with sailing, and it changed her life.
Meeting King Hussein
During a trip to the United States, Tracy met King Hussein I of Jordan. He encouraged her to join a crew for a round-the-world yacht race. Later, King Hussein helped Tracy get sponsorship from Royal Jordanian Airlines. This funding allowed her yacht, named Maiden, to compete in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.
Before leading her own team, Tracy worked in different roles on other yachts. She was a deckhand, which means she helped with the boat's operations. She also worked as a first mate, a senior position on the boat. She even competed in the 1985–1986 Whitbread race, starting on one boat and then becoming a cook on another.
Leading the Maiden Crew
Tracy noticed that very few women were in the round-the-world race. Only five women out of 200 sailors competed. This inspired her to create an all-female crew for the 1989 race.
She gathered a team of 12 women. To buy and fix up a 10-year-old, 58-foot yacht, Tracy took out a mortgage on her home. She renamed the boat Maiden.
Race Success and Recognition
The Maiden crew did incredibly well in the race. They finished second in their class and won two out of six individual parts of the race. This amazing achievement brought Tracy and her team worldwide attention and praise.
Tracy was awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy. She also received an MBE honor for her contributions. In 1990, Tracy shared her story in a book called Maiden.
New Challenges and Projects
After her success with Maiden, Tracy started a family. She also began managing other sailing programs. In 2000, she started a new round-the-world sailing project called Maiden 2. This time, she aimed to win the Jules Verne Trophy with a very large 110-foot catamaran. However, this attempt ended when the boat's mast broke off the coast of Chile.
Tracy then helped organize a new round-the-world race called Oryx Quest in 2005. This race took place in Qatar. It was the first time a round-the-world race started and finished in the Middle East, based in Doha. Four of the fastest multi-hulled boats competed in this successful event.
Facing Financial Difficulties
After the Oryx Quest, Tracy faced financial difficulties. The Qatari sponsor of the event closed their company and did not pay. Tracy had personally borrowed a large amount of money from the bank to help fund the race. This situation led her into bankruptcy.
Tracy Edwards and the original Maiden crew are featured in a 2018 documentary film. The film is simply called Maiden. Tracy is a single mother and has one daughter.
Saving and Restoring Maiden
In 2014, Tracy found out that her beloved yacht, Maiden, was in very bad condition. It had been left abandoned in a marina in the Indian Ocean. Tracy decided to save her historic boat.
She started a public fundraising campaign to rescue Maiden. Her goal was to restore the boat and then have it sail the Whitbread route again. After that, she planned for Maiden to be used for charity and displayed in British maritime museums.
Maiden's Return and New Mission
Maiden returned to Southampton, England, on a cargo ship in April 2017. Tracy and four of her original Whitbread crewmates were there to welcome their old boat. With help from outside funding, Maiden was carefully restored in Hamble, Southampton.
Inspired by King Hussein, and supported by his daughter Princess Haya, Tracy founded "The Maiden Factor." This project uses Maiden to raise money and awareness for girls' education around the world. Maiden was relaunched in the summer of 2018. In September 2018, it began a three-year world tour from the Southampton Boat Show with a new all-female crew.
