Sir Francis Chichester

British yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester's name remains forever engraved in the history of yachting as the first person to sail around the world alone from west to east, along the fastest route available. During his pioneering exploit in 1966–1967, he was accompanied by a no less hardy companion, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, which took the same drenching and scrapes as he did on stormy oceans.

Sir Francis Chichester was given a hero's welcome and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II after his 226-day journey covering more than 29,500 miles (about 47,600 kilometres) on the 16-metre ketch, Gipsy Moth IV.