Maiden & Tabarly Put Women at Top: Ocean Globe Race Results
Ladies First as Tabarly and Maidens Triumph in Ocean Globe Race.
Female skippers and crew came to the fore as the Ocean Globe Race reached its denouement in Cowes with Marie Tabarly, skippering Pen Duick VI to line honours and then the all female crew of Maiden taking the overall race win in IRC to seal a magnificent race.
Pen Duick VI crossed the finish line in Cowes at the Royal Yacht Squadron just before midnight on 11th April, after 37 days at sea, and sailing a challenging 6814n,. This outstanding result gave Pen Duick VI first in line honours and first in Leg 4 IRC handicap ranking for the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race 2024. Remarkably, the Skipper, Marie Tabarly, is none other than daughter of French legend Éric Tabarly, who sailed the 73ft black-hulled Bermudan Ketch, sailed in the 1973 Whitbread Round-the-World-Race. Tabarly was dogged by bad luck back in 1973 and a serious dismasting essentially took him out of the running.
Daughter Marie had better luck and, 50 years on, arrived triumphant into Cowes at 22:52 GMT on April 1. In this final leg, the big ketch dominated the playing field, with an almost two-day lead on the next arrival into the Solent – L’Esprit d’Equipe.
The next milestone came on April 16 when Maiden, skippered by Heather Thomas and featuring an all female crew, slipped across the line to win the race overall on IRC handicap. The 58’ Bruce Farr design has a storied history and is best known for competing with the first all female crew in the 1989-90 Whitbread when skippered by Tracy Edwards. On that occasion the yacht finished second in her class, behind the aforementioned L’Esprit d’Equipe. This time the tables were turned and an elated Thomas said:
“it’s amazing to be the first all-female crew to win an around the world race; it’s a historic moment. Me and the all the crew worked really hard for it and we’re very proud of our achievement.”
For full results, go to oceangloberace.com
Read More:
- Normandy Marinas: A Guided Tour of Carteret
- Armel le Cleac’h Interview: Reflections on the Ultimate Challenge
- Tabarly Triumph: Ocean Globe Race Winner by Barry Pickthall
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