45th anniversary of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston's record circumnavigation
Man
hadn’t yet walked on the moon. 45 years ago, sailing solo non-stop
around
the world was as big an adventure as space travel is today and
even
now, fewer people have sailed solo around the planet than have
orbited
it above the atmosphere.
On 22 April 1969, Robin Knox-Johnston became the first person to
sail
solo non-stop around the world after successfully completing the
Sunday
Times Golden Globe race, aboard his 32 foot ketch Suhaili.
He
had none of the modern technological aids sailors regard as
standard
today and even his radio failed for the majority of the
ten
month (312 days) 30,000 mile groundbreaking journey.
Reflecting on his historic feat, Sir Robin said: 'It is hard to believe
45
years have passed since the day I completed that first historic
circumnavigation.
I’m still incredibly proud of the achievement,
which
was the start of many, memorable moments that I am proud
of
throughout my years at sea.
Ocean racing has always been a fundamental part of his life and as
he
prepares for his latest sols challenge, at age 75, he is delighted to
say
that his thirst for thrills and adventures has not ceased.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is one of Britain’s most celebrated mariners
and
this autumn he will compete again in a solo transatlantic race,
the
classic Route du Rhum.
Following his first circumnavigation, he skippered 'Condor' to Line
Honours
in two legs of the 1977/8 Whitbread Race; co-skippered
'Enza
New Zealand' with the late Peter Blake to take the Jules Verne
Trophy
in 1994 for the fastest circumnavigation of the world; and
completed
the Velux5Oceans solo round the world race in fourth
position
in 2006/7, at the age of 68.
In 1996 he created the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race (www.clipperroundtheworld.com) to offer people from all walks
of
life and ages the experience of ocean racing together with
the
opportunity of completing a circumnavigation.
Over 4,000 people have since been introduced to sailing through the
unique
event which is now the longest in the world at 40,000 miles and
is
currently three quarters of the way through its ninth edition.
After competing with the Clipper Race fleet in the Australian classic
Sydney-Hobart last December, Sir Robin recognised his competitive
sailing days were far from over. Last month he announced his entry
in
the Route de Rhum solo transatlantic challenge in his Open 60
yacht
Grey Power.
'Solo sailing is where I feel most at home,' Sir Robin confessed. 'No
one
else can benefit you or let you down; it is all in my hands.'
The
tenth anniversary edition of the 3,500 mile Route de Rhum
from St
Malo in France to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe
starts on 2
November 2014.
Aboard 'Suhaili'
...video finish of Sir Robin's historic circumnavigation...
..and now ready for more adventures....
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