Geoff Holt

Geoff Holt completed his 'Personal Everest' challenge and entered the history books on 5 September 2007 when he sailed 1,445 miles solo around Great Britain in a fragile 15-foot dinghy.  This was hailed a groundbreaking, courageous achievement because Geoff is a passionate yachtsman who uses a wheelchair.  Paralysed from the chest down, Geoff lives by the mantra of ‘no excuses’ and continues to challenge what seems impossible. In January 2010 he became the first quadriplegic to sail solo across the Atlantic, completing the 2,700 mile voyage across some of the most hostile waters in the world in 28 days.

At just 18 years old, Geoff Holt had sailed across the Atlantic three times and completed several solo voyages.  And then his life changed.  All hopes and dreams of earning his livelihood as a professional yachtsman were brutally destroyed after diving into the sea and breaking his neck.  Geoff spent a year in hospital and then, with characteristic spirit, retrained in a different career and went on to lead the marketing department of an international firm of chartered accountants for 12 years.  Geoff later became a qualified auctioneer and valuer before eventually returning to his first love of sailing.

Geoff's inspirational story is told with humour, insight and great images and footage. His personal philosophy of ‘no excuses’ lies at the heart of his story: motivating others to live life to the full and conquer challenges no matter what they may be. With a marketing background, Geoff's business messages are rooted in experiences both on and off the water.

‘What Geoff achieved was quite extraordinary and took an awful amount of courage.’    Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne

‘Your voyage was nothing short of exceptional, but to me that journey is simply a reflection of you.’    Dame Ellen Macarthur