Eric Holden skippered the Henri Lloyd yacht which won the Clipper round the world race in 2014.

ERIC HOLDEN grew up living on a boat and was only seven when he started competing as a sailor. His early successes include Canadian youth champion in the Laser and  winning the Byte World Championship.

In 2013/2014 he captained the Henri Lloyd yacht, ‘Henri Lloyd – 50 Years of Pioneering Spirit’, in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

In this exclusive interview we talk to Eric about his passion for the sport and ambition to keep racing around the world. 

What was it like growing up on a boat and when did you actually get the opportunities to start sailing and racing yourself?



Growing up on a boat was an amazing experience. As a child you are like a sponge and pick up so much knowledge so quickly. Just like learning a language or a musical instrument, the earlier you start the more natural it becomes. All my earliest memories are of sailing. I started racing when I was seven in the Optimist dingy. I think my mum put me into it to keep me busy and out of trouble during my youth.


What were some of the early highlights and biggest successes of your career?


I learned many of my biggest lessons from my failures rather than my successes. It was in defeat that I built the determination to keep going and not give up. In 1998 I became Canadian youth champion in the laser and that was probably my earliest success, followed by winning the byte world championship the following year.

‘Henri Lloyd – 50 Years of Pioneering Spirit’ was the winning yacht in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2013/14.

Tell us some more about the Clipper 2013-14 Round the World Yacht Race and how did it feel to skipper the Henri Lloyd which won the event?

Winning the Clipper round the world race was the culmination of all my years of effort and training, and a year of intense effort. There was a sense of relief when it was finally over followed by a period of exhaustion. It was a lot of work but very rewarding, an experience and friendships that will last a lifetime.


Who were the team of sailors who completed the race with you and how hard was it to keep people motivated and the team’s morale high?

My team consisted of 55 individuals from all walks of life and from 18 to 74 years of age. It was that diversity that made the race so interesting and rewarding. I can’t say enough good things about my team. We wouldn’t have won without their hard effort and trust in me. There were lots of ups and downs during the race. I won’t say it was always smooth sailing, but we avoided major conflict and kept the team goal in mind.


How do you most like to spend your time when you’re not sailing and are there any other sports you’re passionate about?
  
  

Lately there has been very few moments of free time. I do love being outdoors and surrounded by nature. As your leg muscles atrophy while at sea there is nothing better than going for a strenuous walk or hike when ashore, especially if it gets you away from sea level for a time.

What other areas of sailing are you involved in?

Offshore/Ocean sailing is really my passion. It is very rewarding to cross an ocean safely and successfully. I often work as navigator with elite racing team, finding the fastest route to the finish line. When not at sea I also provide shore side weather routing to sailing teams to help them succeed remotely.


What exciting challenges or projects do you have lined up for 2016 and beyond?

It is my goal to build from the Clipper win and continue to race around the world. There are four round the world races including the Clipper race, one fully crewed, one doublehanded, and one solo. It would be incredible to be able to compete in them all. As I’ve been told, all it takes is money, and finding that is the hardest part.