Women’s Rights Network

Sports Shorts from WRN - Episode 8

Women’s Right Network

In this special episode of WRN Sports Shorts, WRN's Faye meets Tracy Edwards MBE, who won international fame as skipper of the first all-woman crew to compete in the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989/90, and Najiba Noori, an Afghan journalist and documentarian, who recently made her feature debut with Writing Hawa.  

Tracy's is an extraordinary story full of determination and passion, and in this fascinating conversation, we hear about the obstacles she faced as a woman to compete in ocean racing, her fundraising to buy and restore the yacht Maiden, not just once but twice, and about The Maiden Factor Foundation, the charity she founded that works with and supports communities to enable and empower girls into education across the globe. 

It was Tracy's dedication to advocating for girls' access to education that brought the two women together, with Najiba joining as a member of Maiden's all-female crew in 2023 to document the Ocean Globe Race, which they later went on to win in April 2024, making history in the process. 

The BAFTA nominated film, Maiden is available to rent or buy.