What's on in Galway

Volvo Ocean Race, Galway
May/June 2012 - Dates to be confirmed
www.letsdoitgalway.com

The Volvo Ocean Race, the world's biggest sailing event will return to Galway to be the finish port for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.

It was announced last week that Galway is to be the Finish Port for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. The announcement was welcomed by the Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD, along with representatives from the Volvo Ocean Race.

The Taoiseach emphasised:

"The 2009 Stopover in Galway made an abiding impression on the sailors, support crews, organisers and media who were immersed in the warmth of an Irish welcome."

Galway fought an intense contest against the other bidding ports to win back the event for a second time and, importantly, the Volvo Ocean Race will complete its lap around the globe in Galway, where the final prizegiving will be held.

"The interest in hosting the Volvo Ocean Race, particularly in Europe, has been quite overwhelming" said Volvo Ocean Race CEO, Knut Frostad, as the Galway choice was unveiled.

"I am very proud to confirm Ireland's participation and Galway will be a magnificent port to stage the finish of the event. We have already experienced the enthusiasm that abounds in Ireland for the race and we are looking forward to bringing the competition to its conclusion in a country that really knows how to celebrate," he said.

This announcement completes the list of European cities hosting the event. The remaining ports will be introduced throughout March.

The announcement last week can be attributed in part to the success of the stopover in Galway during May 2009 which fuelled the public imagination as never before. Over 600,000 supporters visited the race village during the stopover, with the crowd peaking at 62,000 people on in-port race day alone. The seaside resort of Salthill drew a further crowd of 120,000 to watch the dramatic close combat race from the shoreline.

Galway's ‘home town boat' in 2008, Green Dragon, became Ireland's second entry in the race - the first was NCB Ireland in 1989-90. Double Olympic medallist, Ian Walker, guided the team to a fifth place finish overall and claimed the third spot on the podium when the fleet crossed the finish in Galway, delighting the huge crowd that had gathered to welcome them.

The Volvo Ocean Race traces its origins back to 1973 and is the world's premier offshore sailing race.

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