Sir Thomas Lipton Wins.

WILLIAMS, Geoffrey.

$175.00

Item Number: 114991

London: Peter Davies, 1969.

First edition of Williams’ account of his record-breaking passage aboard the Sir Thomas Lipton in the Transatlantic Race of 1968. Octavo, original cloth. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the front pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom. He completed the 2002 trip in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes and set records for both the Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon and Fastest Balloon Flight Around the World. Fosset was also one of sailing’s most prolific distance record holders set the Absolute World Speed Record for airships with a Zeppelin NT in 2004. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including aviation’s highest award, the Gold Medal of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which he was awarded in 2002. Fossett disappeared on September 3, 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert, between Nevada and California. Near fine in a near fine price-clipped dust jacket.

When he determined to win the international Singlehanded Transatlantic Race of 1968, Geoffrey Williams, a 25-year old Cornishman, had never sailed a boat alone; and when he took Sir Thomas Lipton to sea on the qualifying 500 mile course, the 57 foot ketch was at that time the largest boat ever sailed offshore by one man. The 34 competitors in this increasingly important international contest left Plymouth on June 1st 1968, and 25 days later Williams was the first to arrive at Newport after a record-breaking passage.