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What Can A Sailboat Teach You That A Classroom Can't?

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode "Have we forgotten how to play?"

When Tracy Edwards was expelled from school, she wound up working on boats. That led her to form a record-breaking all-female sailing crew, which circumnavigated the world in 1989.

About Tracy Edwards

Tracy Edwards is a sailor, social activist and the founder of The Maiden Factor Foundation, a funding project that empowers girls through education.

Edwards gained recognition as the skipper of the first all-female crew to sail around the world. Her team raced in the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Race, and won two legs and came second overall in her class. She was awarded an MBE, an award for an outstanding achievement or service to the British Empire, and became the first woman awarded the Yachtsman of the Year Trophy. In 2002, Edwards created the first-ever truly mixed gender team and broke four major world records on her yacht Maiden II.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and edited by Katie Monteleone and Manoush Zomorodi. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Web Resources

Related TED Bio: Tracy Edwards
Related TED Talk: 2 questions to uncover your passion — and turn it into a career
Related TED Playlist: Women empowering women — and the world

Related NPR Links

Fresh Air Weekend: Yiddish 'Fiddler'; How 'Maiden' Sailed Into History
How An All-Female Crew Sailed Round The World & Into The History Books
Maiden': Groundbreaking 1989 Sailing Race For All-Female Crew

Copyright 2026 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour.
James Delahoussaye
Katie Monteleone