Maiden

       Remember these names...Tracy Edwards, Sally Creaser, Angela Farrell, Jo Gooding, Nancy Hill, Jeni Mundy, Michelle Paret, Claire Russell, Dawn Riley, Tanja Visser, Mikaela von Koskull, Mandi Swan, Marie-Claude Heys. They are the all female crew of the sailboat "Maiden" and this is their story.

       A documentary of the first all female racing crew to enter the fabled Whitbread "Round the World" sailboat race, this film is an inspiration to all and to young women in particular. Tracy Edwards is the skipper and driving force behind the voyage. The film traces her start as a happy child, troubled teen and eventually 24 year old skipper of "Maiden". As a young woman she talks her way onto one of the racing boats as the cook and this taste of the high seas makes her determined to enter the race herself. Turned away by the male dominated sport, she puts together her all girl crew and through archival footage, we watch spellbound as they race around the world.

       Directed by Alex Holmes, the film is well structured and well paced. While I'm sure there are missing elements to the entire story, the film does it's best to provide background and then get to the race itself. Luckily, the crew shot plenty of video to provide great footage for the documentary. Mr. Holmes mixes the old footage in with contemporary interviews and it's wonderful to hear and see many of the crew tell their story.

        It took almost 30 years to get this film made and you don't have to be a sailing enthusiast to appreciate the story and  what these women accomplished.