First person to sail around the world (solo and non-stop)

Robin Knox-Johnston (UK) was the first person to circumnavigate the world under sail solo and without stopping. He departed from Falmouth, Cornwall, UK, on 14 June 1968 as a participant in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, and by the time he returned to Falmouth on 22 April 1969 he was the only remaining competitor. His yacht was called Suhaili.

Knox-Johnston was knighted in 1995 after winning the Jules Verne trophy for the fastest circumnavigation under sail the previous year.