Women take to the waves with Nelson
FORTY young women will make history on Monday when they become the first all-female crew to take part in the Tall Ships Race.
They will set sail aboard the Sail Training Ship (STS) Lord Nelson, a 55 metre square rigger specifically designed to accommodate the needs of nine crew members who are disabled.
The ship is one of only two of its kind, and will race alongside 100 other vessels in a contest expected to attract up to 800,000 spectators.
The women are representing the Senior Section of Girlguiding UK, and were chosen from over 180 applicants to make up the final voyage team. They will be accompanied by 10 professionals, including a cook and an engineer.
Their captain, Clare Cupples, one of only two female captains, said: “The challenge will be equal with a crew of girls. I’m not worried, girls do equally well, if not better, than boys. They tend to be more enthusiastic as it’s not a typical thing for a girl to do.”
Lord Nelson is owned and maintained by the Jubilee Sailing Trust (JST), a charity whose aim is to provide independence and freedom to disabled people through sailing.
READY TO RACE: P8
