Eric Holden named Sail Canada’s April Sailor of the Month

For the second time since the Clipper Race started, Henri Lloyd skipper Eric Holden from Vancouver has received Sail Canada’s monthly award after being named as its April Sailor of the Month.

The award follows Henri Lloyd’s sixth and seventh back to back podium positions of its Clipper 2013-14 Race campaign. Eric’s team finished 2^nd place in Race 10, the 5,600 mile North Pacific Ocean crossing from Qingdao to San Francisco and 2^nd place once again in the recently completed Race 11 from San Francisco to Panama. Henri Lloyd also leads the overall Clipper Race standings with 108.9 points.

Commenting on the award, Eric Holden said: “The North Pacific was a particularly testing and exhausting leg, especially having a smaller crew total for that race, so we are proud to have overcome our challenges to manage a respectable result.

“The interest from our Canadian supporters continues to inspire us as we work towards maintaining our position atop the overall standings in the final legs to London. With five Canadians on board through to the finish, support from across the country is at a peak and may make the difference in the tough days and weeks to come.

“If we've managed to inspire anyone to attempt a difficult challenge or to follow a dream they thought beyond their capabilities then that will be a gratifying reward for our efforts.

Henri Lloyd’s current Canadian crew members include James Dick from Victoria, B.C, Morgen Watson from Calgary, Fiona Garforth-Bles from Bragg Creek, Alberta and Michael Jauncey from Toronto.

Eric has previously been awarded November Sailor of the Month and was also the recipient of the 2013 Gerry Roufs Award for offshore racing at the 2013 Sail Canada Awards in March. 

To read the details on Eric's award CLICK HERE