Maiden returns to where it all began

Tracy Edwards MBE has entered the iconic 58-foot yacht Maiden which will compete with an all-female crew in the 2023-24 Ocean Global Race (OGR).

Edwards led the first all-female crew on Maiden in the 1989-90 Whitbread Round the World Race, with the yacht returning to this retro-themed race as part of the Flyer Class with other historic Whitbread boats from the 1970s onwards.

The OGR celebrates the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Starting in Europe on September 10, the 27,000 nm course is divided into three classes and four legs with stop-overs in Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand; and Punta del Este, Uruguay before returning to Europe in April 2024.

Maiden has been on world tour which began in September 2021, having covered nearly 30,000 nm visiting 20 destinations and engaging with schools, charities and organizations as part of a mission to educate, empower and elevate girls, increasing their life and career choices and also raising money to fund girls’ educational projects around the world.

The OGR will provide a great opportunity to amplify Maiden’s mission and the importance of educating all girls for better futures for all.

Currently in Cape Town, SA, Maiden will sail back to the UK for final preparations for the start, once again with a young female skipper and crew of up-and-coming sailors from around the world, who will no doubt inspire another generation of women and girls to follow their dreams.

“We are very excited to take part in the 2023 Ocean Global Race, over 30 years since Maiden and the first all-female crew defied the odds in the 89-90 Whitbread race,” said Edwards. “Since then, Maiden has become a Global Ambassador for empowerment of girls through education and we have a young skipper and crew who will have the experience of a lifetime, just as we did all those years ago.”

Details: www.themaidenfactor.org

Event information – Race rules – Entry list

The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Starting in Europe on September 10, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe, divided into four legs that passes south of the three great Capes. The fleet is divided in three classes with stop-overs in Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand; and Punta del Este, Uruguay before returning to Europe in April 2024.