A COMPANY director who learnt to sail as a boy is re-living his childhood dreams and sponsoring around-the-world yacht races.

Jeremy Holden, aged 45, is celebrating the success of 28-year-old Emma Richards, who earlier this month guided her boat PINDAR into Newport Harbour, Rhode Island, to complete the last leg of the arduous "Around Alone" yacht race.

Mr Holden's company, Holden Vintage & Classic, in Bromyard, near Worcester, sponsors Miss Richards, who was the only British entry in the 28,000-mile endurance test, as well as being the only female, and the youngest entrant, in the race.

The sponsorship is a change in direction for the manufacturer of classic car parts, which until now has sponsored classic car marathons.

But Mr Holden, who visited Rhode Island last weekend to celebrate Miss Richard's success at a gala presentation ceremony, said it had the same potential to capture peoples' imaginations.

"Around Alone is a prestigious race with a truly global scope," he said.

"We are thrilled to be involved with such a high-profile event.

"It amazes me how these sailors cope with being wet though, battered and bruised, for weeks on end in these overgrown dinghies by themselves.

"They show amazing strength and determination."

Miss Richards admitted to being exhausted following the race, which saw her single-handedly pit her 60ft yacht against storms, icebergs and huge walls of water over eight months.

Mr Holden's faith in Miss Richards, who he sailed with during Cowes Week, on the Isle of Wight, last year, has been well rewarded.

She came fourth in the Around Alone race and became only the second British woman, after Ellen MacArthur, to sail around the world single-handedly.

Mr Holden, who was born in Droitwich, learnt to sail in The Solent.

Married with two children, aged 12 and nine, he set up Holden Vintage & Classic 14 years ago.

He runs the company, which employs 12 people, with co-director Julian Parker.

The pair became involved in sponsoring Miss Richards because her major sponsor, communications group Pindar, produce Holden Vintage & Classic's mail-order catalogues.