'Equality still has a way to go' says skipper of first all-female round the world yacht team 30 years on
Monday 4 March 2019, 10:12pm
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Martha Fairlie
The skipper of the first ever all-woman crew to sail one of the world's most physically demanding yacht races, says there's still a long way to go for gender equality - 30 years on from her landmark voyage.
Tracy Edwards, who is the subject of a new documentary, told ITV News of the sexism she was subjected to when she led the first all-female Whitbread Round The World Race team in 1989.
She, her team and her yacht Maiden were dismissed by the media as a novelty, with many believing they would never complete the gruelling nine month 33,000-mile voyage.
Tracy Edwards (centre) led the Whitbread Round The World Race's first ever all-female team. Credit: ITV News
One journalist even labelled them a "tin-full of tarts".
Despite mountainous seas and tidal waves of sexism they managed to finish second in the race - the highest place ever achieved by a British team.
"We did expect some resistance [but] we didn't expect the aggressive resistance that we got, we couldn't quite understand that, but I think what it did do is it definitely made us more determined," she said.
Despite a media backlash over their ambitions, the team finished in second place. Credit: ITV News
"The more someone says to anyone you can't do that, the more you want to do it."
As a female skipper in a man's world, Ms Edwards admits she battled with self doubt and anxiety in the run up to the race, something she thinks still holds many women back.
She said: "It's absolutely the worst thing we do, I mean I can't generalise but I still do it now.
"I still have a bit of impostor complex about me when I achieve something."
Tracy Edwards, spoke to ITV News ahead of a new documentary. Credit: ITV News
Now, Maiden, the yacht that brought her around the world, is being restored to raise money for the 130 million girls around the world who are still denied an education.
"I want Maiden to do for other people what she did for me, which is show me what I can be and who I can be and what I can do.
"So we've got some amazing female skippers on the boat taking turns to take her around the world, they were all inspired by Maiden, now they're skippering Maiden."
But even with all that Maiden has achieved for female sailing, Ms Edwards says in big boat racing, it is "still almost impossible for a woman to get on a boat".
Maiden is now being restored in order to raise money for disadvantaged females around the world. Credit: ITV News
She added: "I think there's also an interesting dichotomy here as well though because I have spoken to guys who have taken a woman on a boat and have gone 'well that went really well'".
The documentary about her voyage titled Maiden will air in selected UK cinemas on March 8, International Women's Day.