Yesterday in Bilbao, whilst preparing his yacht, ‘Saga Insurance’ for the start of the VELUX 5 Oceans, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston slipped on a sail and fell as a result of a small amount of hydraulic fluid on his boots.

After x-raying his back, doctors reported that he has sustained a hairline fracture to his coccyx but have advised that this should not prevent him sailing. Sir Robin is continuing his preparations for the race, which starts on 22nd October 2006.

See YM’s special four-page report on Sir Robin in our next issue. In ‘The Spacerocket and the Snail’ we compare Sir Robin’s state-of-the-art Open 60 yacht,Saga Insurance, with his 32ft wooden ketch,Suhaili, which he sailed round the world in 313 days in 1969. On sale October 12.