Galway nets finish line stage of Ocean Race

GALWAY will be the finish line for the next staging of the world’s most prized maritime race and organisers have called on the country to row in behind the effort.

The Volvo Ocean Race picked the City of the Tribes ahead of 34 competing ports, which bid for three European stopovers, and the final 2011-2012 shortlist had 15 locations to choose from.

However, chief executive of the race, Knut Frostad, said the vibrancy of the welcome Galway gave to the race last summer clinched the deal.

“We had a great experience in Galway last time, we left with great memories... the rest of the world needed to know Galway better,” he said.

In summer 2012 the fleet will sail north-westwards from Lorient in France to Galway. The finale is expected to attract well in excess of the 650,000 people who visited the race village last year.

Mr Frostad said the sailors will be delighted with the decision to end the race in Galway because, with the competition over, they will be able to join the party this time.

Let’s Do it Global, which managed the pitch on behalf of Galway, said it would be a huge economic boost to the region after the €55m injection the race provide in 2009.

However, the group’s chairman, Enda O’Coineen, said businesses and interested people needed to give as much support to the organisers as possible.

“We are going to need the country to get behind the team,” he said.

The deal was unveiled in Dublin yesterday in the presence of Taoiseach Brian Cowen. He said the success of the Galway staging last year, during difficult economic times, was an inspiration to the rest of the country.

He said it was a compelling race which would attract immense positive attention to Ireland and the Government would provide €4m to support it.

“The spectacular footage of these great yachts in action gave us all the sense of the excitement; the danger; the skill of the skippers and crew; the cutting edge technology; the strength of the yachts; and raw power and ferocity of the elements, the sheer drama of it all.

“Ireland’s success in securing Galway’s place as the finishing stopover port and our participation in the race confirms once again that this country can compete on the world stage,” he said.

Mr Cowen also gave his support to the efforts of the Irish-Chinese Green Dragon racing team which is planning to enter the race for the second time.