Chay Blyth

Cruise boat Chay Blyth on the Thames in front of Vintners' Place.

Sir Charles Blyth (born 14 May 1940), known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish yachtsman and rower. He was the first person to sail single-handed non-stop westwards around the world (1971), on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.

Early life Blyth was born in Hawick, Roxburghshire. He joined the Parachute Regiment when he was 18 and was promoted to Sergeant at the age of 21.

Rowing and sailing career

Business career Blyth founded a company named Challenge Business to organise the 1992–1993 British Steel Challenge in 1989. This event allowed novices to sail around the world in a professionally organised race. After the British Steel Challenge, Global Challenge organized other Round the World yacht races.

The British Steel Challenge was followed by two successive BT Global Challenge races in 1996−1997 and 2000–2001. A downturn in the sponsorship market meant that the 2004–2005 Global Challenge race set off without a title sponsor. In September 2007, Challenge Business went into administration, when Blyth had been unable to find a sponsor for the 2008–2009 Global Challenge Race. A street has been named after him in his birth town of Hawick, known as "Chay Blyth Place". 3rd Worthing Scout Groups Blyth Cub Pack is named after him. Awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from Plymouth University in 1994. The Chartered Institute of Marketing awarded The Companion of Honour to Sir Chay in 2000 for his services to the Profession of Marketing.