Saito’s Accomplishments

Records

• Oldest Solo Non-stop Circumnavigator (age 71)

• Most Circumnavigations by a Solo Sailor (eight)

• Oldest Solo Circumnavigator (age 77 years and 8 months)

 

International Honors

• Special Recognition as “The Spirit of Around Alone” (1999)
   — Sixth Around Alone Race Closing Ceremony

• Single-handed Sailing Hall of Fame (July, 2006) — Museum of Yachting, Newport, R.I.

• Medal of Honor (July, 2006) — City of Newport, R.I.

• Blue Water Medal 2006 (January, 2007) — Cruising Club of America, New York

• Guinness World Record (2007 and 2009 editions)
    — Oldest solo non-stop circumnavigation at age 71

• Juan Sebastian del Cano Award (January, 2011) — United States Power Squadrons

• Naomi Uemura Adventure Award for 2011 (February, 2011) — Naomi Uemura Foundation
    — named recipient of the Naomi Uemura Adventure Award for 2011, out of a field of 207 Japanese nominees for the vaunted annual award in honor of the world-renown Japanese alpinist.