Tracy Edwards

Tracy Edwards MBE is an acclaimed British sailor, author, and speaker, best known for her pioneering role in transforming the face of competitive sailing. As a speaker, Tracy is engaging, authentic, and deeply inspiring, drawing from her extraordinary life experiences to motivate audiences around the world. Her talks focus on themes such as resilience, leadership, teamwork, and breaking through adversity. Tracy’s storytelling style is compelling and personal, making her a standout voice at global business events, leadership conferences, and educational forums.

Her journey began unconventionally. Expelled from school at 16, Tracy backpacked across Europe and eventually found work as a stewardess on a yacht in Greece. It was there that she discovered her passion for sailing—a field then heavily dominated by men. After working as a cook on Atlantic Privateer during the 1985–86 Whitbread Round the World Race, she became determined to challenge gender norms by assembling the first all-female crew for the same race. Against the odds, she secured funding—helped by support from King Hussein of Jordan—and restored a second-hand yacht, which she renamed Maiden. In 1989–90, she skippered Maiden to two leg victories and second place overall in her class, becoming the first woman to win the prestigious Yachtsman of the Year award.

In recent years, Tracy has used her platform to advance global education for girls. In 2014, she founded The Maiden Factor Foundation, which uses the restored Maiden to sail around the world, raising funds and awareness for girls’ access to education. Her story was brought to the screen in the 2018 documentary Maiden, which received critical acclaim. In 2023, Maiden competed in the Ocean Globe Race with an all-female crew, winning the circumnavigation race and making history once again. Tracy continues to campaign passionately for equal opportunities both in sport and beyond.

Tracy is regularly hired as a high-performance speaker because of her unique ability to connect her adventurous spirit with actionable insights for teams and leaders. Her story resonates with anyone facing challenges or aiming to lead through uncertainty. Audiences leave her talks energised and equipped with a renewed sense of purpose, ready to tackle obstacles with courage and conviction.