Winds of change: Maiden's Tracy Edwards returns to Auckland

Tracy Edwards with Maiden in Seychelles 2017

Maiden in the 89- 90 Whitbread

Maiden's triumphant finish. Credit: Andrew Sassoli-Walker

Maiden Returned to UK June 2017. Credit Rick Tomlinson

Some of the original Maiden crew bring her back to Hamble April 2017

Maiden Skipper Crew sailing to Fremantle March 2019 © The Maiden Factor - Amalia Infante

The Maiden sailing to New Zealand

Girls from Auckland Girls Grammar perform the welcome ceremony pōwhiri to welcome Maiden and the crew into Auckland © The Maiden Factor - Kaia Bint Savage

It's 30 years since Tracy Edwards and her all-women crew completed the Whitbread Round the World Race on Maiden, defying all the odds as well as the yachting fraternity who said it couldn't be done. The success earned its skipper an MBE and an unprecedented Yachtsman of the Year award. Three decades later the yacht has a new life and a new purpose, promoting girls' education and helping young women break into sailing crews.

Tracy Edwards talks to Kathryn Ryan from Auckland where she made a triumphant entrance, in 1989 when 14,000 fans lined the waterfront at 1am to watch Maiden cross the finish-line, winning the second leg of the race.

The Maiden documentary is screening in New Zealand cinemas from this month and at The New Zealand International Film Festival.

For details of the voyage, visit the Maiden Factor themaidenfactor.org