Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is the first man to sail solo, non-stop around the world. In April 2009 he celebrated the 40th anniversary of his return to Falmouth in Suhaili, 312 days after setting sail on a voyage no one else had ever accomplished. In 2007 he completed his second solo circumnavigation as a competitor in the VELUX 5 OCEANS race. Sir Robin is the founder and Chairman of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and is an inspirational figurehead to those who undertake this challenge of a lifetime.
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is the first man to sail solo, non-stop around the world
All the crews have experienced the frustration of calms that were not apparent in any forecast or battled against winds coming from exactly the wrong direction, hampering their progress towards the finish line. But every so often, dream conditions settle over the race track and deliver some stunning sailing.
That was certainly the case with the Atlantic and for every day of their crossing, there was plenty of breeze coming from exactly the right angle. It meant that they sped across their last major ocean way quicker than our best estimate and the heavier Cork revelled in the conditions. This was the first time in Clipper’s history that we have introduced the pursuit race concept and Hannah Jenner and her crew were determined to get line honours in to their home port. Hannah told me that she was so impressed with her crew who demonstrated a real desire and pushed incredibly hard throughout. They deserved a hero’s welcome and that is exactly what they got, both in Kinsale and Cork city.
While professional sportsmen and women get used to the adulation, often handling it with a weary resignation, our crews really revel in it. For a while, they have left their desks, commutes and routines behind and as they have gone around the world, they have become the inspiration for thousands of people.
In Cape Town, their departure was applauded by huge crowds. In Australia, the entire town of Geraldton cheered as they paraded down the main street to a civic reception. In Singapore and China, the welcome and departure were massive and in Cape Breton, the crews were once again applauded for their spirit of adventure. Ireland is renowned for the criac and the warmth of the welcome has been a real delight. Watching as the Irish team walked up from the new pontoons in the heart of Cork to the whoops and cheers of the crowd was a wonderful moment and every crew member sported a grin that went from ear to ear.
The same will apply when the race heads back up the Humber for another massive weekend in North Yorkshire. It will be ten months since the teams left and in that time, every single crew member will have learnt so much about themselves. They will have also learnt a huge amount about the sea and have become very experienced sailors with more than 30,000 miles in their log books. I hope that their love affair with sailing continues in the years ahead.
There are still two races to complete and while they are both short ones, the English Channel and the North Sea are perfectly capable of throwing up some major surprises. Tide will be a key factor and an incoming low pressure system has the potential to stir up the shallow waters in to a nasty short sharp chop. Shipping will keep the watches busy too and accurate navigation to avoid the heavily policed traffic separation zones is essential. On the first race to La Rochelle, two boats had points deducted in this area and points could also be lost if sails become badly damaged. As such, all the crews need to be on their toes as they strive to stand on the podium steps. While the top step looks like it’s destined to go to Spirit of Australia, there are still 350 miles of hazards and pitfalls that could change the leader board right up to the finish line off Spurn Point.
I hope to see many of you in Hull on 17 July and I know that the city will once again put on a spectacular show.