Tracy Edwards

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Tracy Edwards MBE (b 5 September 1962 (1962-09-05) (age 45)) is a British sailor. In 1990 she skippered the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, becoming the first woman to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy and was awarded the Order of the British Empire. She is single, and has a daughter, Mackenna (b December 1999). [1][2]

Born in Reading, her father, an electrical repairman, died when she was 10, forcing the family to reduce their outgoings. Her mother re-married and the family moved to the Gower peninsula in Wales. She had a tumultuous childhood, being bullied and treated as an outcast. Aged 15 she was expelled from school for smoking and drinking on a school trip. Her mother thought that she was mixing with the wrong people and suggested she go back-packing around Europe to escape. An inspired decision, it introduced Tracy to sailing, when, serving at a bar in Piraeus, Greece she accepted on offer of a job as stewardess on a motor cruiser. It proved to be a happy ship, giving her the confidence to progress to first mate despite bouts of seasickness. [1][2]

Her boyfriend of the time had participated in the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race and this inspired her to take part in the 1985-86 event, the first woman to do so. She joined 'Atlantic Pride' as a cook for the duration of the 9 month event, discovering reserves of willpower she didn't know she had. [1][2]

Once back on dry land and realising that only 5 of the 200 participants were women, she determined to put together an all female crew for the 1989 event. When the plans were announced, she became subject of vindictive attacks from the male dominated racing community. Articles appeared saying it would be her fault if the crew killed themselves in the race. She received threatening phone calls and had oil poured on her lawn. But the idea inspired people who had a point to prove. [1][2]

Placing her personal finances on the line, she remortgaged her house to buy the yacht, Maiden, then mortgaged the yacht to pay for the refit. Her yacht and crew attracted significant media attention, won two legs and came second overall in their class. Her return to Southampton was met with a crowd of 50,000 people chanting the boat's name. The effort left her significantly in debt, taking several years to repay her creditors. [1][2]

Bruised by the aftermath, she bought a run down cottage in Llangennith on the western edge of the Gower peninsula where she retreated from public life and kept a smallholding. She sustained a series injury when one of her horses kicked her in the back cracking two vertebrae, chipped the coccyx and disclocated her left hip. [2]

Tempted back to the sport, in 1998 Edwards organised another all-female crew for the non-stop, no outside assistance, round the world Jules Verne Trophy, raising sponsorship and putting together the first major multihull project in Britain. She and her crew broke the female Trans Atlantic record, the male Australia to New Zealand record and the English Channel record - with an average speed of 22.7 knots. [1][2]

The attempt was cut short when her catamaran was dismasted after being hit by a freak wave in the South Pacific. The crew built a makeshift mast and sailed for Chile, with the help of a tug in the final few days, arriving 16 days later. [1][2]

Returning to Britain and becoming pregnant, Edwards decided to focus her efforts on project management and her motivation company. [2]

In 2005, she secured a £38m four-year sponsorship deal for a new yacht and two round-the-world races called the Oryx Quest based in Qatar. After the first race was completed, the Qatar government funding was cancelled, leading to the cancellation of the remainder of the project and personal bankruptcy for Edwards in 2005, from which she was discharged in 2006.

She continues to act as an ambassador for yachting and various charities as well running motivational courses and acting as a consultant to companies conducting business in the Middle East.

She is also working with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, managing the International Youth Advisory Congress (IYAC).

[edit] Bibliography

Maiden. Simon & Schuster, 13 September 1990. ISBN 978-0671710279
Living Every Second Hodder & Stoughton, 4 October 2001. ISBN 978-0340770436

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Price, Oliver. "'Oil poured on my lawn, threatening calls: I was shocked by the hostility'", Sport, The Guardian, 1 October 2006. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Edwards, Tracy (4 October 2001). Living Every Second. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978-0340770436. 
  1. Edwards, Tracy; Madge, Tim (13 September 1990). Maiden. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671710279. 
  2. Tracy Edwards teamwork.
  3. "Tracy Edwards declared bankrupt", BBC, 5 September 2005. 
  4. "Edwards unveils plans", BBC, 30 January 2004. 
  5. "Edwards eyes Jules Verne mark", BBC, 14 October 2003. 
  6. Bridgestock, Graham. "Me and my health: Tracy Edwards", Daily Mail, 20 March 2001. 

[edit] External links

Tracy Edwards teamwork.
Tracy Edwards Qatar Blog.