Female skipper sails into history as youngest to finish world race

A BRITISH yachtswoman has become the youngest skipper ever to complete a round-the-world race.

Nikki Henderson returned to dock in Liverpool yesterday, 11 months after setting out on the gruelling 40,000nautical-mile sailing competition. She finished second in the Clipper 2017-18 Race to Australian Wendy Tuck, 53.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the cofounder of the Clipper Race, praised both women, adding that to have two females in first and second place made it a “historic” and “brilliant” finish.

Ms Henderson, who turned 25 two days ago, completed the sprint finish up the Mersey to the Royal Albert Dock as the youngest ever Clipper Race skipper, taking the title from fellow Briton Alex Thompson, who was 26 when he won the race in 1998.

She described the result as “pretty hard to believe”, adding that she “never really went into it to necessarily win”.

She said: “I definitely didn’t go out to have an easy ride, I went out wanting to do well, but I didn’t actually think [coming second] would be possible. I am overwhelmed.”

She added that it was “great” her second place coincided with Ms Tuck becoming the first woman to ever win an around-the-world race, adding: “I think it is important to say that for all women who do sail, it is unsurprising.

“I think that we know that we are awesome and can compete with men on an equal playing field.

“It has been a long time coming and I am glad it has come, and I hope it is the start of more like this and more to come.”

Ms Henderson, who skippered Visit Seattle, said she was proud to have achieved a balance between doing well and having a happy and respectful crew. Calling the race the hardest achievement of her career, she said: “I

‘For all women who do sail, it is unsurprising. We know that we are awesome and can compete with men’

am so young and I think I have come on such a journey. I feel like a different person to the person that left last year.

“It will stand out forever, it is the hardest and most rewarding thing – to date, anyway.

“It can be draining at times, but re- ally the reason I stayed and the reason I am still here is the crew, and they made it all worth it.”

Ms Henderson, from Guildford in Surrey, had already sailed 38,000 nautical miles, including twice winning the Youngest Skipper Award in ARC races across the Atlantic and competing twice at Cowes Week.

Her love of sailing began at the age of 13, during a brief stint in the Sea Cadets.

Her mother, Anne Milton, the MP and Skills and Apprenticeship Minister, and father, Graham, were at the quayside to cheer her on. The skipper and a core team remain on the 70ft boat throughout the race, but are joined by rotating teams of around 15 amateur volunteers who have paid to take part, and have been trained up for the race.

Mr Henderson said: “I thought she’d have problems getting them to do what they’re told. But she hasn’t.”

In total, 712 people from 41 different countries took part in the race, which set off from Liverpool last August.