Maiden

We saw a movie about an event, to be perfectly honest, we never knew existed: the yachting competition formerly known as the Whitbread Round the World Race, now known as the Volvo Ocean Race. The documentary focused on one team in particular, the first all-female group to compete in this grueling undertaking. The captain, Tracy Edwards, was a 24-year-old who had worked as a cook on charter boats and managed to land a position as the cook on one of the yachts competing in the race, which ignited her desire to sail the race herself. She assembled a group of women, including an old friend who agreed to serve in Ms. Edwards’ former role as cook, and they took off in 1989 for the 33,000 mile trip that lasts upwards of nine months.

The Wikipedia entry for this amazing accomplishment merely states

This race featured the first all-woman crew on Tracy Edwards' Maiden. Although in a much smaller boat than many of their male counterparts the women fared well—claiming two leg victories in Division D.

But clearly there is so much more to this story, and director Alex Holmes has done a fine job of telling this story. Edwards had a difficult early life, when at the age of 10 she lost her beloved father to a heart attack. Things became more difficult when her mother remarried a man who was abusive, so at a young age she left home to find her own place in the world. Eventually this led her to life at sea.

Because this life had been so completely dominated by men, rampant sexism was not only accepted but perhaps even encouraged. It is amazing to me that when they interviewed some of the men who were around at the time were not only unapologetic, but even proud of the way they had treated Edwards and her ambition. Some things take a very long time to change.

I do not know just how widely this film is being shown, but it is a fascinating look at a world with which most of us are totally unfamiliar, and a glimpse into some very courageous women who clearly deserve recognition for their amazing feat.

Love,

Rebecca