Wendy Tuck

The top two spots in the Clipper Round the World Race were, for the first time, won by women.  Australian Wendy Tuck has become the first female skipper to win the Clipper Round-the-World race.  British skipper Nikki Henderson, 25, came in second with her team in the 40,000-mile contest. Thousands watched the race finish in Liverpool, nearly a year after 12 yachts set out from the city.

The 53-year-old told the Australian Daily Telegraph: “I hate banging on about women. I just do what I do but I am very proud.” 

The BBC quotes race co-founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, who was the first person to sail solo nonstop around the world, said: “If you realize that more people have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed around the world, you realize just what these people have done. There has never been a round-the-world sailing race where the leading skippers are women,” he added.

Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.