Shore crews probably got wetter in one afternoon than sailors did in the entire 550-mile final sprint from Lorient in France to Galway.

A Kerryman on board a French yacht which won the Volvo Ocean Race has said the triumph was the fulfilment of a childhood dream.

Ireland’s Peter O’Leary and David Burrows signalled their intent for London 2012 on Saturday when they won gold at the pre-Olympic world cup regatta in Weymouth.

Ireland’s Peter O’Leary and David Burrows moved into the overall lead of the Star class at the Bacardi Cup in Miami yesterday after they took their second race victory of the week at the Grade 2 event on Biscayne Bay.

Female sailors claimed the top prizes at the Irish Sailing Association’s annual awards ceremony in Dun Laoghaire on Saturday night.

IAN WALKER’S Abu Dhabi team announced yesterday it would retire completely from the 6,500-mile Volvo Ocean Race stage to Cape Town and ship its boat from Lisbon instead.

AS the six boats of the Volvo Ocean Race prepare to start the first of 10 legs in this 39,000-mile competition, the crews are bracing themselves for an immediate battering from gales reminiscent of the 2005 race, with widespread damage across the fleet and one boat forced to retire.

Damian Foxall is Ireland’s finest ocean racing sailor. He tells Dan Buckley about the thrills of his trips around the world.

SPORTS Minister Martin Cullen has spoken of the ‘comfortableness of the relationship’ between Ireland and China, a country long criticised for its human rights violations and policies.

AN heroic Kerry adventurer was honoured yesterday in his home county.

IRELAND’S Damian Foxall is racing in home waters today as the six boats of the Volvo Ocean Race pass the south and west coasts as part of the 1500-mile Leg 8 from Portsmouth to Rotterdam.

Ireland’s top sailors will be honoured at the presentation of the 2004 Cork Dry Gin Sailor of the Year Award at the Dublin International Boat Show on Thursday, February 24.