Maiden Storyville documentary on BBC4 tonight

Maiden - Whitbread Round the World Race 1989/90 © YachtsandYachting

The inspirational story of how Tracy Edwards, a 24-year-old cook on charter boats, became the skipper of the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

Tracy’s dream was opposed on all sides: her male competitors thought an all-women crew would never make it, the chauvinistic yachting press took bets on her failing, and potential sponsors rejected her, fearing the girls would die at sea and generate bad publicity.

Tracy, however, refused to give up: she remortgaged her home and bought a second-hand boat, putting everything on the line to ensure the team made it to the starting line. With the support of her remarkable crew, she went on to shock the yachting world and prove that women are the equal of men.

Find out more on the BBC website here.