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List of pedestrian circumnavigators

A circumnavigation of the Earth is a journey from a point around the globe, returning to the point of departure. In a pedestrian circumnavigation, travelers must move around the globe and return to their starting point by their own power, either walking or running. The Guinness Book of World Records sets the requirements for a circumnavigation on foot as having traveled 18,000 miles, and crossed four continents.[1] The World Runner's Association (WRA), a small club in the "ultrarunning" community, requirements are crossing four continents ocean to ocean and covering 26,232km in total among other requirements but does not have a time limit.[2]

Attempts to walk around the world began as early as 1786. Starting in 1875, dozens of circumnavigation ultrawalkers emerged, most of them frauds who fooled the public to win wagers and made a living giving lectures about their supposed "walks". Later, a few legitimate walkers succeeded.[3] The first legitimate ultrarunner to succeed is Konstantin Rengarten, and the most recent to succeed is Marie Leautey. The following list shows people who have, or claim to have, completed a circumnavigation on foot, sorted by date of departure.

Pedestrian circumnavigators

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Details
Name Konstantin Rengarten [pl] Rengarten was likely the true first person to walk around the world. Born in the Minsk province in the Baltics (today in Belarus), Rengarten started a walk from west to east with his starting point at Riga, the present-day capital of Latvia (then part of the Russian Empire). He continued across Asia, through North America and Europe, and finished at his starting point on September 27, 1898.[4]
Date Aug. 15, 1894 – Sept. 27, 1898
Duration 4 years, 1 month, 13 days
Distance 26,876 kilometres (16,700 mi)
Name George Matthew Schilling The Guinness Book of World Records attributes the "first circumnavigation by walking" to both Schilling and David Kunst; however, Schilling's reputed walk was never verified.[5] Schilling's walk has been met with heavy skepticism and is believed to have been impossible at the time. He never fully completed the circumnavigation. A few years later, he became a self-promoter by making false claims about outlandish stunts.[4]
Date 1897–1904
Duration ~ 7 years
Distance Unknown
Name Arthur Blessitt Blessitt is an American preacher of Evangelical Christianity.[6] Starting in 1969, Blessitt carried a cross through every nation of the world, with the goal of setting foot in every country and every island nation in the world. He completed this goal on June 13, 2008.[7] He holds the Guinness world record for the "longest ongoing pilgrimage", and has walked 321 countries, including island groups, territories, and countries which no longer exist,[8][9] of which 54 were in open war.[10][11]
Date Dec. 25, 1969 – June 13, 2008
Duration 38 years, 5 months, 20 days
Distance 65,319 kilometres (40,587 mi)
Name Dave Kunst Dave Kunst became the first man independently verified to have walked around the world, covering four continents.[12] His brother, John Kunst, accompanied him for two years from his starting point in Waseca, Minnesota, until he was killed by bandits in Afghanistan. Kunst continued the walk in his brother's honor. He completed his walk on October 5, 1974 after 14,500 miles. His walk does not meet the standards of the World Runners Association, but the organization did not exist at the time of his walk, having been established in 2014.[13] While the WRA requires a minimum of four continents, Kunst had a gap[clarification needed] between India and Thailand.[3]
Date June 20, 1970 – Oct. 5, 1974
Duration 4 years, 3 months, 16 days
Distance 23,250 kilometres (14,450 mi)
Name Steven M. Newman Newman became the second man independently verified to walk around the world on April 1, 1987, exactly four years after his departure. His walk was very similar to Kunst's, covering four continents and 14,500 miles. Similar to Kunst, Newman's walk falls short of the minimum distance required by the WRA for membership. However, the WRA did not exist at the time of his walk.[13] Like Kunst, Newman also had a gap between India and Thailand, and another gap in the Middle East.[citation needed]
Date April 1, 1983 – April 1, 1987
Duration 4 years
Distance 23,335 kilometres (14,500 mi)
Name Ffyona Campbell Campbell became the third person and first woman claiming to have walked around the world.[14] She carried out her walk in stages. In 1985, she walked from New York City to Los Angeles, across the United States. She later admitted to taking transport during one stretch, because she was ill, but had to meet sponsors' demands. She later returned to walk that stretch.[15] In 1989, she walked from Sydney to Perth, in Australia.[16] In 1991, she walked across Africa, from Cape Town, South Africa to Tangiers, Morocco.[17] In 1995, she completed her walk.[18] Her walk was carried out in stages and does not meet WRA standards.[19]
Date Aug. 17, 1985 – Oct. 14, 1994
Duration 9 years, 1 month, 28 days
Distance 32,186 kilometres (19,999 mi)
Name Robert Garside Garside is a British runner credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person to run around the world.[citation needed] Garside previously attempted two runs starting from Cape Town, South Africa, and London, England, but aborted both.[20] In 1997, he began a run in New Delhi, India, and completed his run at the same point on June 13, 2003.[21] His run was met with heavy skepticism, including from Kunst.[20]
Date Oct. 20, 1997 – June 13, 2003
Duration 5 years, 7 months, 25 days
Distance 48,000 kilometres (30,000 mi)
Name Polly Letofsky

On 1 August 1999, Polly Letofsky left her home in Colorado on a five-year journey spanning four continents and 22 countries. She started her leg across Australia on 29 October 2000 from St Kilda Pier on Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, and concluded on 22 July 2001 after arriving in Port Douglas. On 30 July 2004, she concluded her journey having walked over 22,730 km (14,120 mi), having raised over $250,000 for breast cancer research, and having officially become the first woman to have walked around the world.[22][23]

Date 29 October 2000 – 22 July 2001
Duration 266 days (8 months, 23 days) excluding the end date
Distance Over 22,730 km (14,120 mi)
Name Jean Beliveau Beliveau became the fifth man to independently verified to walk around the world. Walking for 11 years and covering 75,000 km, Beliveau's walk is the longest continuous world walk and has preliminary qualification stage for recognition under the WRA guidelines.[citation needed]
Date Aug. 18, 2000 – Oct. 15, 2011
Duration 11 years, 1 month, 29 days
Distance 75,000 kilometres (47,000 mi)
Name Rosie Swale-Pope First woman to run and walk the northern hemisphere. She did not follow World Runners Association guidelines, primarily by running three continents instead of the minimum four and not crossing and recrossing the equator. She elected to run totally in the northern hemisphere; an additional 4,000 km run across Australia would have met the WRA guidelines.[citation needed]
Date Oct. 2, 2003 – Aug. 25, 2008
Duration 4 years, 10 months, 24 days
Distance 32,000 kilometres (20,000 mi)
Name Jesper Kenn Olsen Jesper Kenn Olsen ran 26,232 kilometres in his first world run.[clarification needed] His run was scrutinized by the ultra running community.[citation needed]
Date Jan. 1, 2004 – Oct. 23, 2005
Duration 1 year, 9 months, 23 days
Distance 26,232 kilometres (16,300 mi)
Name Masahito Yoshida Masahito Yoshida, a Japanese man, walked approximately 40,000 km around the world. Starting from Shanghai on January 1, 2009, and returning on June 9, 2013, his journey took him across Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. He faced challenges such as extreme weather and health issues but maintained a walking pace of around 30 km per day.[24][25]
Date Jan. 1, 2009 – June 9, 2013
Duration 4 years, 5 months, 9 days
Distance 40,000 kilometres (25,000 mi)
Name Tony Mangan Third runner to successfully run around the world. Having run 50,000 km, he holds the record for the longest world run according to the World Runners Association guidelines. Mangan is the third person to be inducted into the WRA membership.[citation needed]
Date Oct. 25, 2010 – Oct. 27, 2014
Duration 4 years, 3 days
Distance 50,000 kilometres (31,000 mi)
Name Tom Denniss Second runner credited with a proper documented world run under the World Runners Association rules. He holds the record for the fastest circumnavigation on foot and is the second person to be inducted into the WRA membership.[citation needed]
Date Dec. 31, 2011 – Sept. 13, 2013
Duration 1 year, 8 months, 14 days
Distance 26,232 kilometres (16,300 mi)
Name Kevin John Carr Aiming to be the fourth runner credited with a proper documented world run, he followed the WRA rules in his attempt to break Tom Denniss's record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world on foot. Ratification of his claim by WRA is still pending.[citation needed]
Date July 28, 2013 – April 9, 2015
Duration 1 year, 8 months, 13 days
Distance 26,232 kilometres (16,300 mi)
Name Tom Turcich Turcich became the tenth person to circumnavigate the globe on foot, by his own count.[26] Turcich left his home in Haddon Township, New Jersey on April 2, 2015, walking across every continent except Australia, before returning to his starting point on May 21, 2022.[27] In August 2015, Turcich adopted an Australian Shepherd in Austin, Texas, whom he named Savannah.[28] Savannah became the first dog to circumnavigate the globe on foot.[27]
Date April 2, 2015 – May 21, 2022
Duration 7 years, 1 month, 20 days
Distance 45,061 kilometres (28,000 mi)
Name Marie Leautey Seventh runner credited with a proper documented world run under the World Runners Association rules. She holds the record for the fastest circumnavigation on foot (woman) and is the seventh person to be inducted into the WRA membership.
Date Dec. 6, 2019 – Sept. 1, 2022
Duration 2 years, 3 months, 4 days (825 days)
Distance 28,249 kilometres (17,553 mi)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Aylward, Juliet (March 15, 2003). "Running man bids for world record". BBC News. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  2. ^ Palfrey, Jack (18 August 2020). "Is this the world's most exclusive travel club?". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  3. ^ a b Crockett, Davy (11 November 2019). "Around the World on Foot – Part 1 (1875–1895)". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b Crockett, Davy (27 November 2019). "Around the World on Foot – Part 3 (1894–1899)". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  5. ^ "First circumnavigation by walking", Guinness World Records. Retrieved on 25 April 2020.
  6. ^ Blessitt, Arthur. "Jesus (And the 'New ')". Official Website of Arthur Blessitt. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  7. ^ Blessitt, Arthur. "Forward / Dedication". Official Website of Arthur Blessitt. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  8. ^ "Longest Ongoing Pilgrimage". Guinness World Records. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  9. ^ Guinness Book of World Records 2014. United States: Guinness World Records. 2013. p. 271. ISBN 978-1908843357.
  10. ^ Blessitt, Arthur. "Arthur Blessitt in Guinness World Records". Blessitt.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. ^ Scott, Mathew (August 23, 2015). "Guinness World Records: 60 years of inspiring the extraordinary". South China Morning Post. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  12. ^ "First circumnavigation by walking", Guinness World Records. Retrieved on 25 April 2020.
  13. ^ a b "World Runners Association". World Runners Association. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  14. ^ Campbell, Ffyona (1997). The Whole Story: A Walk Around the World. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 0-7528-0988-1.
  15. ^ "First Woman to Walk Around the World Says She Cheated". AP News. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  16. ^ Campbell, Ffyona (1999). Feet of Clay: On Foot Through Australia. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 0-434-10692-5.
  17. ^ Campbell, Ffyona (1995). On Foot Through Africa. Orion Publishing Group. ISBN 1-85797-946-X.
  18. ^ "Briton Is First Woman to Walk Around World". LA Times (Reuters). 15 October 1994.
  19. ^ "World Runners Association Constitution". World Runner's Association. 26 September 2014. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  20. ^ a b "On the Run". The Guardian. February 15, 2001. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  21. ^ Yen, Yi-Wyn (July 7, 2003). "Rinningman Robert Garside Comes Full Circle". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  22. ^ "Polly's GlobalWalk". Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  23. ^ "Start Taking the Little Steps to Your Big Feat..." Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  24. ^ "Masahito Yoshida in 11,000km north-south Africa trek". BBC News. 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  25. ^ http://alkinist.blog111.fc2.com/
  26. ^ "Tom Turcich (@theworldwalk)". Instagram. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  27. ^ a b Giordano, Rita (May 21, 2024). "The South Jersey dog that was the first to walk around the world has died". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  28. ^ Turcich, Tom (November 13, 2016). "Savannah's Saga – Part One". The World Walk. Retrieved April 24, 2022.