List of pedestrian circumnavigators

A circumnavigation of the Earth is a journey from a point around the globe, returning to the point of departure. 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 “walks.” Later a few legitimate walkers succeeded.[1]

The Guinness Book of World Records sets the requirements for a circumnavigation on foot as having traveled 18,000 miles, and crossed four continents.[2] The World Runner's Association sets similar guidelines for determining the authenticity of pedestrian circumnavigations. The following list shows people who have, or claim to have, completed a circumnavigation on foot.

Pedestrian circumnavigators
NameDate DurationDistanceNotes
Konstantin Rengarten August 15, 1894 – September 27, 1898 4 years, 1 month, 13 days 26,876 km 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.[3]
George Matthew Schilling 1897 – 1904 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.[4] 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.[5]
Arthur Blessitt December 25, 1969 – June 13, 2008 38 years, 5 months, 20 days 65,319 km 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]
Dave Kunst June 20, 1970 – October 5, 1974 4 years, 3 months, 16 days 23,250 km 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. Kunst reportedly traveled much of the distance on muleback. 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 between India and Thailand.[14]
Steven M. Newman April 1, 1983 – April 1, 1987 4 years Newman became the second man 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.
Robert Garside October 20, 1997 – June 13, 2003 5 years, 7 months, 25 days 48,000 km Robert Garside is a British runner credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the first person to run around the world. Garside began his run following two aborted attempts from Cape Town, South Africa and London, England. Garside set off from New Delhi, India on 20 October 1997, completing his run back at the same point on 13 June 2003.
Jean Beliveau August 18, 2000 – October 15, 2011 11 years, 1 month, 29 days Third man to walk around the world walking 75,000 km for 11 years in 64 countries. This is the longest continuous world walk and has preliminary qualification stage for recognition under the WRA guidelines.
Jesper Kenn OlsenJanuary 1, 2004 – October 23, 2005 1 year, 9 months, 23 days26,232 kmJesper Kenn Olsen ran 26,232 kilometres in his first world run. His run was scrutinized by the ultra running community.
Tony Mangan October 25, 2010 – October 27, 2014 4 years, 3 days 50,000 km 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.
Tom DennissDecember 31, 2011 – September 13, 2013 1 year, 8 months, 14 days26,232 kmSecond 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.
Kevin John CarrJuly 28, 2013 – April 9, 2015 1 year, 8 months, 13 days26,232 kmAiming 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.
Tom Turcich April 3, 2015 – May 21, 2022 7 years, 1 month, 19 days Turcich will become the tenth person to circumnavigate the globe on foot, to his own count.[15] Turcich left his home in Haddon Township, New Jersey on April 2, 2015, and will return on May 21, 2022.[16] In August 2015, Turcich adopted an Australian Shepherd in Austin, Texas, whom he later named Savannah.[17] To Turcich's estimation, Savannah will become the first dog to circumnavigate the globe on foot.
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.
Ffyona Campbell 32,186 kmFirst woman claiming to walk around the world. Later she admitted to taking transport on one stretch in USA whilst ill and having to fulfill sponsors' demands. She later returned to walk that stretch. Her walk was carried out in stages and does not fulfill circumnavigation criteria.

See also

References
  1. Crockett, Davy. "Around the World on Foot – Part 1 (1875-1895)". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  2. Aylward, Juliet (March 15, 2003). "Running man bids for world record". BBC News. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  3. Crockett, Davy. "Around the World on Foot – Part 3 (1894-1899)". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  4. "First circumnavigation by walking", Guinness World Records. Retrieved on 25 April 2020.
  5. Crockett, Davy. "Around the World on Foot – Part 3 (1894-1899)". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  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. "World Runners Association". World Runners Association. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  14. Crockett, Davy. "Dave Kunst – Walk Around the World – Part 1". Ultrarunning History. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  15. "Tom Turcich (@theworldwalk)". Instagram. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  16. "The World Walk - Welcome Home Celebration". Eventbrite. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  17. Turcich, Tom (November 13, 2016). "Savannah's Saga – Part One". The World Walk. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
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