Funchal Marina received a visit from the well-known English navigator Sir Robin Knox-Johnston who arrived aboard the vessel SANJULA.
Sir Robin was the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world between June 14, 1968 and April 22, 1969. The English navigator competed in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race with one of the smallest vessels (32 feet; 9 .8 meters) named SUHAILI and was the only one to finish, officially becoming the first person to circumnavigate the globe non-stop, as a loner, on April 22, 1969, the day of the return to Falmouth.
In 1995 he was knighted in the Order of the British Empire, allowing him to use the title “Sir”.
In 1996 Sir Knox-Johnston established the first Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and has since worked with Clipper Ventures every year as President on the evolution of the race. One of his greatest accomplishments is calling and captivating many people to competitive navigation through Clipper Ventures.
He completed his second solo circumnavigation of the world on the yacht SAGA INSURANCE on May 4, 2007, finishing fourth in the Velux 5 Oceans Race. At 68, he was the oldest competitor in the event.
Sir Knox-Johnston has been visiting Portugal for almost 50 years, but this is the third time he has visited Madeira. The first visit took place in 1972. His next port of destination is the Barbados Islands, in the Caribbean.