The News is reporting that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is setting sail today from Portsmouth Harbour, heading to a celebratory tour of Falmouth, where he finished his record-setting voyage on April 22 in 1969, becoming the first person to sail non-stop single-handed around the globe. In doing so, he won Sunday Times Golden Globe Race as well as being the only sailor to finish. 

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of his accomplishment, Sir Robin, 80, will sail Suhaili, the 32-foot Bermudan ketch which he sailed around the world, across the original race finish line at Falmouth on Monday, April 22nd. He will be accompanied by Lively Lady, restored and sailed by Alan Priddy, and a supporting flotilla of yachts sailed by friends from the world of sailing. 

Following his victory in the Golden Globe Race, Robin Knox-Johnston and Sir Peter Blake won the second Jules Verne Trophy in 1994.  Knox-Johnston organized the first Clipper Round the World Race in 1996, a race around the world sailed by professional captains and amateur crew.

Robin Knox-Johnston’s solo circumnavigation fifty years ago took 312 days. In 2019, Jean-Luc Van Den Heede won the current Golden Globe Race, which replicated the technology of the first race, in 221 days. The last Vendee Globe non-stop solo round the world race was won by Armel Le Cléac’h in just over 74 days in 2017.