Jon Sanders
Australian Jon Sanders was the first man to circumnavigate Antarctica solo, circling the continent twice in 1981 – 1982 in his S&S 34 monohull Perie Banou, . His course took him south of the three great capes: Horn, Good Hope…
Kay Cottee
In 1988, Australian Kay Cottee became the first woman to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation , taking 189 days in her 37 feet (11 m) yacht Blackmores First Lady,. Before returning to a hero’s welcome in Sydney, Cottee's yacht was…
Dame Naomi James
Dame Naomi James, became the first woman to sail solo around the world via Cape Horn with one stop in 1978, completing her circumnavigation in 272 days, beating Sir Francis Chichester's solo round-the-world sailing record by two days. Raised in…
Cornelis van Rietschoten
Cornelis "Conny" van Rietschoten is the only skipper to win the Whitbread Round the World Race twice. At 45, the Dutch industrialist had read reports about the first Whitbread Race, saw it as the opportunity of a lifetime – and…
Éric Tabarly
Éric Tabarly is the doyen of ocean racing to all young aspiring sailors. A French Naval officer, he gained instant fame with his yacht Pen Duick II after winning the 1964 Observer Singlehanded Trans Atlantic Race in the record time…
Ramón Carlín
Ramón Carlín, the ‘weekend sailor’ who upset the odds to become the winner of the first Whitbread Round the World Race in 1973-74, died in Mexico City at the age of 92. Carlín was a complete unknown in the sport when…
Sir Chay Blyth
Sir Chay Blyth, our second live inductee, is another sailing pioneer – the first to sail single-handed non-stop westwards around the world against the prevailing winds and currents in 1971 aboard his a 59ft (18m) ketch British Steel. As a…
Bernard Moitessier
Bernard Moitessier (April 10, 1925 – June 16, 1994) is a legend within the solo sailing world. The French sailor might well have set the fastest solo non-stop circumnavigation in 1968 during the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race. Having started…
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is our first live Hall of Fame inductee. The pioneering British sailor became the first person to complete a solo non-stop circumnavigation of the Globe on winning the first Sunday Times Golden Globe Race back in 1968/9.…
Sir Alec Rose
Sir Alec Rose (13 July 1908 – 11 January 1991) was an English fruit merchant who developed a passion for amateur single-handed sailing after serving in the Royal Navy during World War II. He went on to circle the globe…
