Hurricane winds and the extremes of heat and cold were among the challenges faced by the former Le Rocquier school teacher, who had no previous experience in yacht racing before he took up the challenge.
Mr Roberts (39) was part of the crew of the LMAX Exchange vessel, which won six of the ten legs of the circumnavigation race, came third in a further four and won the overall prize by four points and they were greeted in London on Saturday by flares, helicopters and cheering crowds as they sailed underneath the famous arches of Tower Bridge.
The race, which claimed the lives of two competitors, took place in identical 70-foot yachts, crewed by amateurs from all walks of life with a professional skipper on board. Ports of call included Rio de Janeiro, Vietnam, Seattle, Panama and New York.
