Geoff Holt

Geoff Holt: Yachtsman & Disability Sports Ambassador

'What Geoff achieved was quite extraordinary and took an awful amount of courage.' HRH Princess Anne

'Your latest voyage was nothing short of exceptional.'
Dame Ellen Macarthur

'My sincere thanks to Geoff for an incredible presentation. His story is truly inspirational and really caught the imagination of the whole room. His drive, spirit and determination had the whole audience mesmerised. The feedback was fantastic.' M&S Money

Geoff Holt is a yachtsman with a unique inspirational story. Paralysed from the neck down in an accident at the age of 18, Geoff went on to conquer the world of offshore yachting culminating in 2010 with the awarding of an MBE by HM The Queen for 'services to disabled sailing.' In 2011, he was honoured to receive the Yachtsman of the Year Award (which Geoff calls 'the Knighthood of Yachting').

Geoff's personal philosophy is 'no excuses' and this lies at the heart of his story: motivating others to live life to the full and conquer challenges no matter what they may be.

Despite spending his adult life in a wheelchair, Geoff's record-breaking accomplishments have inspired countless people throughout the world. In 2007, Geoff became the first disabled person to sail around Great Britain, a 1,500 mile voyage that took him 109 days to complete in his 15ft trimaran dinghy.

Another world-first was to follow: in 2010, Geoff became the first quadriplegic to sail unassisted across the Atlantic Ocean. The 3,000 mile journey took four weeks to complete, sailing a purpose-built, 60ft catamaran.

'10/10. Lots of positive feedback about Geoff's speech. Very engaging. Self-effacing. Entertaining and inspiring at the same time and pitched at exactly the right level for the audience.' The Environment Agency

Geoff's commitment to Sailability and the Wetwheels Charitable Fund, as well as his recent work with the Paralympic Steering Committee (which selected athletes for London 2012 Paralympic sailing events) reflects Geoff's passion for encouraging others.

Geoff's acclaimed autobiography 'Walking on Water' continues to inspire readers and Geoff hopes that his story and voyages will encourage others to push their own personal boundaries.

Speaking Style - Geoff's story is inspirational and told with humour, thoughtful insight and great images and footage. He has faced adversity, challenged limits and continues to motivate others never to give up, to remain positive and to tackle their own challenges. With a marketing background, Geoff's business messages are rooted in experiences both on and off the water.

'Throughout my (long!) career, I have run many events and had to evaluate them and their impact. Never before have I recorded a 100% 'excellent' for the keynote speaker. The place is buzzing today with people sharing their response/feelings to what you had to say.' NHS Shropshire

After Dinner | Keynote | Facing Tough Times | Disability Sports Ambassador