Sir Robin Knox-Johnston finishes third in his Route du Rhum class

The grandfather of five has completed the 3,542 nautical miles from St Malo in France to the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe in the prestigious Route du Rhum race.

Knox-Johnston, who was the first person to sail single-handedly and non-stop around the planet in the 1960s, reached the finish earlier this evening.

The race for top spot ended when Anne Caseneuve took that prize last week, but third represents a special achievement for Knox-Johnston, who admits the race has taken its toll.

The founder of the Clipper Race told the routedurhum.com: “I will be back next time with a smaller boat. I am absolutely over the moon, ecstatic to get third. I was up against some really good competition in this class.

"These last few days we have been racing very hard against each other and in the end there is no shame in being beaten by good people. And I was beaten by two very good people. I congratulate them.

"My race was slow to start but got faster as I went along and it was great because I had three other boats in the same class who were close and we were all very equal, and so that made it great."

"The hard bits were the first days and coming round the island at the end.

"The competition was excellent, I loved watching to see how I was gaining or losing, that made it really fun.

"The low point was the English Channel and last night was one to forget, it was pretty much pandemonium at times. I tore the reaching sail and had a Chinese gybe."

"If I said in Saint Malo I felt 48 then perhaps tonight I feel 50 but no more!"