Wendy Tuck | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1965 (age 57–58) |
| Nationality | Australian |
Wendy Tuck (born c. 1965) is a yachtswoman and previous chief instructor and principal at the Clipper Race training base in Sydney, Australia. [1] She was the first female skipper to win a round-the-world yacht race. [2]
Tuck was born in Australia in 1965. [3] Having begun sailing at the age of 24, [4] she has competed in 13 Sydney Hobart Yacht races [5] and was the first woman skipper to finish in 2017, earning the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy. [6] She won her division in 2015 as Skipper of the Clipper Boat Danang Vietnam.
Tuck first took part as a Skipper in the Clipper Round the World race in 2015–16, becoming the first Australian woman to do so. [7] [8] In 2017-2018 she became the only Australian to repeat the challenge skippering the 70-foot yacht, Sanya Serenity Coast, over 40,000 nautical miles and six oceans. [9] The yachts are named after the tall ship clippers that raced tea to England. Tuck's crew was not constant and changed regularly throughout the race. [2] On 27 July 2018 12.36 (UTC) she crossed the finish line becoming the first female skipper to win the Clipper Round the World race (or any Round the World yacht race). [9] The second-placed yacht was also skippered by a woman, Nikki Henderson. [2]
Interviewed after the race, she said, “If one little girl sees this, sees it can be done and has a go, that will be what matters to me.” [9]
Tuck has spoken about how she has been inspired by other yachtswomen such as Ellen MacArthur and Kay Cottee. [10]
She was a guest skipper on Maiden's global voyage in 2018 in support of The Maiden Factor Foundation. [11] Captaining the boat from Sri Lanka to Los Angeles, stopping at Fremantle, Sydney, Auckland, Honolulu, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
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