ROUND the world sailing hero Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has issued a call to arms to an unlikely nation in his bid to get more people into the sport – the French.

France might be considered the home of offshore sailing but not enough French people take part in the Clipper Round the World Race, he said.

“France is a nation of sailors with excellent role models; legends in their own right,” Sir Robin said ahead of his latest solo sailing challenge at the tender age of 75 – the transatlantic Route du Rhum race.

“Yet it has been under-represented in the Clipper Race so far.

“Next year will be our tenth edition and I’d love to take this opportunity in the Route du Rhum race to appeal for more French crew, a skipper and even an entry.”

The Clipper Round the World Race is run by Sir Robin's Gosport-based Clipper Ventures and sees amateur sailors race 40,000 miles round the globe on 70ft yachts.

Sir Robin added: “We’ve trained more than 3,000 crew over the last 18 years and I’d not only love to see more French crew, but also to have a professional French skipper at the helm of a French sponsored entry would be fantastic.”

The Route du Rhum starts on Sunday and will see Sir Robin race his 60ft boat Grey Power from France to Guadeloupe.