Maiden crosses Ocean Globe Race finish off Cowes

The 12 women crew members sailed past the finish line off the Isle of Wight

British yacht Maiden has crossed the finish line off Cowes after a 27,000-mile race around the globe.

Maiden and the crew of 12 women powered towards the finish line off the island finishing the gruelling race shortly before 12:00 BST.

The Ocean Globe Race (OGR) marks the 50th anniversary of the first Whitbread round-the-world race in 1973.

The race saw 14 yachts set off from the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes on 10 September at 13:00 BST.

Maiden was the fifth boat to cross the finish line.

Family and friends were there to greet and celebrate with the crew

Racing under IRC, a system of handicapping sailboats, they are in the running to take overall winner.

Race organisers OGR said French yacht Triana must cross the finish line by mid-afternoon on 22 April to maintain first position ahead of Maiden.

The 58ft (17.6m) yacht made history in 1990 when its female crew, led by Tracy Edwards, became the first to sail the Whitbread Race.

They won two legs of the race and crossed the finish line second overall in their class.

Sal Hunter was an original crew member on Maiden in 1989/90 and she was there to greet the new generation of sailors.

She said: "The difficulties that they have been through and all the ups and downs will be told over the coming days - but today is a day full of happiness and love and was a brilliant thing to witness these young, amazing, inspirational women from around the world"

Maiden is the fifth boat to cross the finish line in the Ocean Globe Race

Described as a retro race for ordinary sailors on normal yachts, the boats competing in the Ocean Globe Race had to have been designed before 1988.

They have no modern technology onboard, with crews using sextants to navigate with music allowed on cassette tape only.

The number of sails is restricted and they are not allowed computers, satellites, GPS, or any high-tech materials.

Divided into four legs, the yachts stopped at Cape Town, Auckland and Punta del Este before heading back to the Isle of Wight.

The all-female crew, pictured during the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1990

An official welcome home for Maiden after completing its final race and six-year world campaign to promote girls' education is planned for Saturday.

A parade of sail is expected to take place from Cowes at 08:00 up Southampton Water, arriving back at Ocean Village, Southampton.

Boats gathered to welcome skipper Tracy Edwards and her team back in 1990.

Ms Edwards said: "We want to recreate Maiden's 1990 homecoming and hope that everyone in the area with a boat will be out on the water to cheer Maiden and her inspirational young, all-female crew home to Southampton."

It is hoped a large parade of boats will sail with Maiden up the Solent and Southampton Water.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2240.