Maiden yacht to visit Southampton at end of Ocean Globe Race

Maiden made history in 1989 and 1990 when it was the first to be fully crewed by women, who sailed it around the globe as part of the Whitbread Round the World Race.

Almost 35 years later, and in keeping with its place in history, the boat and its all-female crew competed in the inaugural Ocean Globe Race - which also marks the 50th anniversary of the first Whitbread race.

The crew of Maiden celebrate finishing the Ocean Globe Race in Cowes on Tuesday. (Image: Don McIntyre)Skipper Heather Thomas and the international crew of 12 crossed the finish line in Cowes on Tuesday in fifth place - months after setting sail from Southampton and a gruelling 28,000-mile race around the globe.

And at 8am on Saturday, Maiden and her crew will head a 'parade of sail' to Southampton's Ocean Village — their official 'welcome home' after completing her final race and six-year world campaign to promote girls' education.

Heather said: "I wanted adventure and to achieve something — and we did.

"I found skippering an all-female crew quite easy and I really liked it. There were no egos and we all supported each other."

She was selected by Tracy Edwards - who skippered Maiden in 1989 and was in Cowes to see Heather's team come home.

“I was delighted for the girls," said Tracy.

Maiden's international crew celebrate finishing the Ocean Globe Race with national flags at Cowes on Tuesday. (Image: Tim Bishop/PPL)

She added: "It brought back memories. I knew how they were feeling. That stretch of water from The Needles to the finish line feels like the longest in the world.”

It was Tracy who chose Heather to skipper Maiden.

"When Tracy asked me to replicate what she did in the Whitbread, by skippering in the Ocean Globe Race, I was daunted at first," said Heather, who had never skippered at that level before.

Ocean Globe yachts stopped at Cape Town, Auckland and Punta del Este before heading back to the Isle of Wight.

Described as a "retro race for ordinary sailors on normal yachts", the boats competing had to have been designed before 1988, had no modern technology onboard, with crews using sextants, charts and the stars to navigate with.

On its arrival in Southampton, the team will be greeted by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, who named the boat at its official launch.

Maiden skipper Heather Thomas below deck of the yacht, showing how cramped it was for the crew. (Image: County Press)

The iconic yacht, Maiden, with its all-female crew. (Image: Kaia Bint Savage/The Maiden Factor/PA)

Some of Maiden’s original crew met the new crew before the race started. (Image: Kaia Bint Savage/The Maiden Factor/PA)