Wendy Tuck

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]

Wendy Tuck
Born	1965 (age 58–59)
Nationality	Australian

Sailing achievements

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.

Clipper 70s setting out on the race on Lough Foyle.

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.

References

1. "Meet Clipper 2017–18 Race Skipper Wendy Tuck". www.clipperroundtheworld.com. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
2. "First woman wins Clipper world yacht race". BBC News. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
3. "Guildford born skipper leads team to victory in penultimate clipper race". Eagle Radio. 15 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
4. "First woman to win round-the-world yacht race never set out to achieve title". North Wales Pioneer. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
5. "Wendy-Tuck-on-Leg-5-of-the-Clipper-Race". Sail World. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
6. "Wendy scores 'surprise' triumph". NewsComAu. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
7. "First Australian female Clipper Race skipper sets sail". ABC News. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
8. "Wendy Tuck Sets Off In Clipper Round The World Yacht Race". Retrieved 28 July 2018.
9. "sydney-sailor-wendy-tuck-makes-history-with-victory-in-clipper-race". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
10. Phelan, Liam (25 March 2015). "First Australian female skipper for Clipper round the world yacht race". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
11. "The Maiden Factor: Maiden crew". Retrieved 28 November 2018.