Displaying items by tag: Maidentrip

15th December 2013

New Documentary Charts Dutch Teen's Solo Round-The-World Voyage

#LauraDekker - A new documentary is bringing the inspirational story of young Dutch circumnavigator Laura Dekker to the big screen.

As Scuttlebutt News reports, Maidentrip was produced by a team of female filmmakers who followed the teenager over two years of her life as she made history by sailing solo around the world, with no follow boat or support team.

Dekker was just 14 years old when she set out on her own in January 2010, after fighting a court battle for the right to achieve her dream.

Two years later, aged 16, water baby Dekker sailed into Sint Maarten in the Caribbean to complete her voyage and smash the world record for the youngest solo female circumnavigation.

Catching up with Dekker at various ports of call along her route, the filmmakers combined their footage with candid self-shot scenes from the young sailor herself alone on board her 26ft vessel.

The end result is a remarkable coming-of-age story as Dekker, already mature beyond her years, literally and figuratively grows up at sea.

Scuttlebutt News has more on the story HERE.

Published in News Update

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About the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is undoubtedly one of the greatest ocean adventures on the planet, also regarded as one of its toughest endurance challenges. Taking almost a year to complete, it consists of eleven teams competing against each other on the world’s largest matched fleet of 70-foot ocean racing yachts.

The Clipper Race was established in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in 1968-69. His aim was to allow anyone, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to embrace the thrill of ocean racing; it is the only event of its kind for amateur sailors. Around 40 per cent of crew are novices and have never sailed before starting a comprehensive training programme ahead of their adventure.

This unique challenge brings together everyone from chief executives to train drivers, nurses and firefighters, farmers, airline pilots and students, from age 18 upwards, to take on Mother Nature’s toughest and most remote conditions. There is no upper age limit, the oldest competitor to date is 76.

Now in its twelfth edition, the Clipper 2019-20 Race started from London, UK, on 02 September 2019.