Holt at halfway point

Quadriplegic sailing hero now 19 days out from the Canaries

Quadriplegic yachtsman Geoff Holt has reached the half way point of his Transatlantic Challenge today, 19 days after leaving Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.

Unseasonably light conditions have dominated much of the journey to date, but the much awaited winds finally arrived 24hours ago, enabling Impossible Dream to make an average of 7-8 knots and push on westward to make up some valuable time. Geoff is clearly in his element as winds reach the forecasted 20knots, the seas get bigger and the boat starts to show what she can do. ‘This is fantastic, the Atlantic I remember’ said Geoff yesterday.

While this is the fourth time Geoff has sailed the Atlantic, but the first since his life changing accident in 1984 which left him paralysed from the chest down. Diving into shallow water broke his neck causing a complete spinal cord injury and he has used a wheelchair ever since.

The winds are forecast to stay with Geoff for another 24hrs so he is hoping to make the most of it, Geoff remains hopeful that ETA remains 5 January.