Lady Pippa Blake presented the Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year award to Sir Robin Knox-Johnston at The Painted Hall, in The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London today.

Sir Robin – the first man to sail round the world non-stop and alone – was asked if he had plans to go round again (he has made two other circumnavigations, one with Sir Peter Blake in Enza and the other solo again aboard an Open 60 in the Velux 5 Oceans). He said he would set his sights at ace navigator Mike Richey’s personal record.

Richey, famous for his Atlantic solo crossings in Jester, made his last aged 87. That gives Sir Robin another two decades!

Nominated alongside disabled sailor Geoff Holt, Skandia GBR Team members Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, and fellow VELUX 5 OCEANS competitor Mike Golding, Sir Robin said it was a tremendous honour to be chosen from such a great group of people. “It is the UK’s top yachting trophy and something I’m very proud of winning.”