Tracy Edwards

Tracy Edwards MBE, is probably the best female sailor in the world and one of sailing's top motivational speakers. In 1985 she became the first woman to crew aboard an Ocean racing Maxi for the Whitbread Round the World Race. Atlantic Privateer won the leg to Auckland and Tracy became the first woman to ever crew aboard a winning yacht in The Whitbread.

In 1987 Tracy launched the Maiden Project, putting together the First All Female Crew to complete in the Whitbread Round the World Race. She battled against a sceptical press, bought and refitted a yacht, found a sponsor and the Duchess of York launched her yacht 'Maiden'. Tracy worked hard to maintain a high media profile. A very successful racing campaign was undertaken, with Maiden winning 5 out of her 7 Ocean races. By the time the 33,000 mile Whitbread Race started, Tracy had established a well organised team, secured a contract for a book about her exploits and set up a television documentary.

Maiden won her class on the first of those legs, the first time a British Yacht had won a leg of the Whitbread Race for 12 years, and when she won the next leg and held the overall class lead at the halfway stage of the race. Tracy was voted "Yachtsman of the Year" by the Yachting Journalists' Association, the first women ever to achieve the accolade. Maiden sailed back into Southampton to the overwhelming acclaim of a crowd of more than 50,000, following which Tracy was awarded an MBE for her services to yachting in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. Her book, Maiden, became one of the best-selling sailing books ever published. Maiden still holds the best result for British boat in the Whitbread since 1977.

Subsequent television appearances included The Wogan Show, a This is Your Life special, and a television documentary "Maiden Voyage". Tracy has worked as a television presenter for television productions on the Tall Ships Race, Southampton International Boat Show and as a presenter for the 1993-1994 Whitbread Race.

In 1997/98 Tracy with an all female crew and her new boat, Royal and SunAlliance, the fastest catamaran in the world, took on multihull record breaking. The all-female crew beat Maiden's transatlantic record in June 1997 by 10 days and became the third fastest boat to cross the water. In October, 1997, Royal and SunAlliance also beat the Channel Record from Cowes to ST.Malo by 45 minutes and at an average speed of 22-27 knots this remains, the fastest ocean record in the world.
Their next challenge in February 1998 was to circumnavigate the globe non-stop and undertake the Jules Verne challenge of around the world in 80 days. More people have been to the moon than have attempted this record. Tracy and her crew would be the first women to ever sail around the world non-stop. After beating the current record holders time to the equator they went on to sail 7 consecutive 400 plus mile days and an impressive 500 mile day. This has never been done before by an all female and only two male crews. They also beat the Australia to New Zealand record.

After 43 gruelling days at sea Tracy's record attempt ended when the catamaran lost her mast in the most treacherous ocean in the world. Using their knowledge, seamanship and professionalism Tracy and her crew put up a temporary rig and reached Chile without help.

Awards and Achievements:
* 1998 Royal Yachting Association winner of Endeavour Award
* 1998 Abbey National/RADAR "People of the Year Award"
* Currently holder of four world sailing records (achieved 1997/98)

Tracy and her crew are:
* Holders of the Cross Channel Record
* Holders of the fastest ocean record in the world (22.27 knots)
* Holders of the Australia to New Zealand Record
* The First British crew to sail a 500 mile day
* The First all female crew Trans Atlantic
* Unofficial holders of The Fastest time from Cowes to Fastnet Rock

Tracy Edwards:
* Skippered the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race (1989-90)
* Her entry, Maiden, still holds the highest British placing (second) in the Whitbread since the 1977-78 race
* Awarded an MBE in the 1990 Birthday Honours List
* First woman winner of Yachtsman of the Year trophy

Tracy Edwards is an exceptional speaker on motivation, leadership and bringing peak performance out of a team.