Riaan Manser spent 11 months on the task and has successfully circumnavigated Madagascar. He finished 8th July.
The goal had been attempted over two years by Simon Osbourne of Sea Kayaking Cornwall. I recorded a Podcast with Simon when he and Phil Clegg were part way around.
In the current Ocean Paddler Magazine, Simon explained why he returned to complete the task with a local paddler, but then decided that wasn't going to work, so he went and did something else. Read more about that trip and see video on Simon's website.
In the meantime, you can read more about Riaan Manser's Madagascar expedition, during which he was nudged by sharks, on Reuters news service, and the Portfolio Travel Blog.
(Nudged by sharks eh? Fancy that Gavin?)