Chay Blyth



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 British Army's Parachute Regiment when he was 18 and was promoted to Sergeant at the age of 21.

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 1996/97 and 2000/01. However, 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 2008-09 Global Challenge Race.

While chairman of Challenge Business, Blyth was the mentor for Dee Caffari on her successful bid to be the first woman to sail around the world against the prevailing winds and currents in 2005–2006.

As chairman of Inspiring Performance, Blyth also headed the board of directors of the train operating company First Great Western – Greater Western franchise. He became non-executive chairman of the franchise which was formed to run a new and enlarged service from 1 April 2006. The franchise combines the previous First Great Western, First Great Western Link and Wessex Trains franchises.

Awards and accolades

 * In the 1997 Birthday Honours, Blyth was created a Knight Bachelor for services to sailing.
 * 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.