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Sir Robin Knox-Johnston went to sea as an apprentice in the Merchant Navy in 1957 and gained his MasterтАЩs Certificate in 1965. He held his first command on the African Coast in 1966.
In 1963 he commenced building a teak ketch in Bombay and sailed it back to the UK in 1967. On 14th June 1968 he set out as the only unsponsored entry in the Sunday Times Golden Globe race to attempt the first solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world and of 9 starters he was the only one to complete the voyage in 312 days, arriving back in Falmouth on 22nd April 1969.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston took part in the 1977 Whitbread race skippering Condor, and in 1994 won the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest ever circumnavigation of the world with Peter Blake of 74 days. In 2006 he entered the VELUX 5 OCEANS solo around the world race at the age of 67 and finished fourth.
In between he has made 4 voyages to the Arctic, 3 with Sir Chris Bonington to climb and completed nine circumnavigations of the British Isles and 22 crossings of the Atlantic under sail.
He has been UK Yachtsman of the Year for an unprecedented three times in 1969, 1995 and 2008, and was the first International Sailor of the Year in 1995. He was from 1993 to 2002 President of the Sail Training Association, and a Trustee of the Maritime Museum at Greenwich and Falmouth. From 1996 until 2002 he was a member of the Sports Lottery Fund and the Sports Council. He is currently Chairman of Clipper Ventures Plc.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has written 15 books and lectures occasionally.
