CNN — More than three decades since its pioneering, round-the-world voyage, the Maiden racing yacht is once again sailing the high seas – and changing the lives of young women in the process. Skippered by British sailor Tracy Edwards, Maiden became the first all-female crew to sail around the world in 1990 – a significant moment in a sport that was slow to embrace women. “It’s hard to remember that people were pretty aggressive about not wanting us to race around the world,” Edwards told CNN Sport’s Don Riddell. “It was the last stronghold of male dominance in the sport.”
Despite facing sexist attitudes, the Maiden crew managed to win two of the six legs of the Whitbread Round the World Race and placed second overall in its class. Edwards recalls one headline that described them as “a tin full of tarts,” which later changed to “a tin full of smart, fast tarts.”
Now, 33 years later, Maiden continues to symbolize the empowerment and strength of women. After being restored, the yacht has been on a global tour since 2018, recently completing a journey from Dakar, Senegal, to Cape Town, South Africa. The purpose of the tour is to raise funds and awareness for girls’ education, particularly in developing countries, with the aim of keeping girls in school until they are 18.
Restoring Maiden was a challenging task. In 2014, Edwards was informed that the yacht had fallen into disrepair in the Seychelles. The original crew from the 1989-90 race started a fundraiser and, with support from Princess Haya Bint al-Hussein, were able to bring Maiden back to the UK and begin the restoration project. “The Maiden Factor,” a non-profit organization, carries on the legacy of the original crew.
Between 2021 and 2024, Maiden plans to sail 90,000 nautical miles, visiting 60 destinations in over 40 countries. Lungi Mchunu, a member of the current Maiden crew, sees people embracing their dreams and realizing their limitless potential. “I just want them to be able to dream and know that they can try and do anything,” says Mchunu, who overcame her fear of the sea and became the first African woman to sail to the Arctic. She feels most at home on the sea and hopes to sail solo around the world someday, with Maiden empowering her to pursue that dream.