Hunter Brumfield, Past Commander of TSPS and head of the Saito Challenge 8 support team has let us know that Minou Saito, Guinness world-record holder, 8-time solo circumnavigator, and TSPS member appeared on stage at the recent TEDxTokyo event. From Hunter:

Hi All,

Now 10 months along since his return to Japan, Minoru Saito has had a busy public appearance schedule, most recently speaking at Saturday’s “TEDx Tokyo.” TED is an event independently organized worldwide that brings together a number of unique individuals to give brief, 15-minute presentations.

Saito-san spoke in Japanese with simultaneous English interpretation. While this YouTube clip is in Japanese, it demonstrates the professionalism of the venue and TED management, as well as shows the large number of people attending. It was also streamed live on the web.

Despite a few hospitalization stays due to breathing issues still with him since Cape Horn, Saito-san looks rested and has even added back a kilo or two of weight, as you can see for yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2KFb6-jTDs&feature=plcp

Our thanks to Nico Roehreke and his hard-working folks at Nicole BMW  for helping Saito-san — who was admittedly very nervous — prepare for this event. The solo skipper was hugely relieved when he found he didn’t have to go through with the initial plan that he speak in English to the huge crowd, but told us that the hardest part would be boiling down his 3-year circumnavigation into “just 15 minutes!”

Best,
Hunter

The picture above is from an interview during the mid-day break.

Saito-san has boundless energy and has recently been hard at work refitting Nicole BMW Shuten Dohji III in Arari, Shizuoka. We had a chance to catch up with him at Golden Week over a few drinks and came away  with the impression the man is an unstopable force. We are honored to have him as a member of the Tokyo Sail and Power Squadron.

Warren Fraser,
Commander, TSPSP
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