Rugby star drops in to help sailors
Throughout the week, they have been happily posing for pictures with all and sundry. Draped in their branded team gear, they have been hard to miss. However, it took the arrival of a recently retired Irish and Munster rugby star to get the sailors looking for a picture of their own.
David Wallace was in town, and as a guest on board Puma’s boat the Mar Mostro, he was happily shooting the breeze about all things rugby with crew members from the rugby-mad nations like New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.
Some were handing out their email addresses for the amateur photographers to send on the pictures they had taken with the Limerick man.
Wallace was on board, along with a couple of lucky souls including myself, who got to take part in the Pro-Am race in Galway Bay. Needless to say, judging by his physique and the fact he has sailed in the past, Wallace was quickly thrown into the mix.
The rest of us took our seats on the bow, where all we had to do was avoid the gigantic front sail as it tacked in the wind. The winners of the Pro-Am got the chance to go onto the main stage later in the evening and take in the applause of the Galway crowds who turned out to catch local favourites The Stunning.
Alas, despite brimming with both sailing and rugby talent, Puma came in third, but as Wallace pointed out: “At least I can always say I helped sail a Volvo Ocean Race yacht.”
As for the sailors on board, they went as hard as ever, despite the fact the Pro-Am is just a bit of fun for punters before the real in-port racing begins today. While they didn’t look it, most of the crews have been enjoying Galway’s alcoholic delights, with Puma skipper Ken Read joking from behind the wheel of his boat that “you guys need to get a moratorium on Guinness”.
Judging by the crowds that continue to pour into Galway, he’s unlikely to get many watering holes taking him up on that offer.
Back on dry land, the party is continuing. As if by divine intervention from the rugby gods, there was even a full-blown Haka in town. Michael Greaney of the Cork Culchie Club had brought a few Culchies into town for the event, much to the delight of locals, and no doubt the many New Zealand sailors in town.
It might be nearing the end of the latest Volvo Ocean Race, but the city is determined to wring every last piece of fun out of the event.
With the weather staying reasonably dry over the past two days, the crowds have continued to grow, while popular party areas like Shop St and Quay St have been activity hubs all week.
The exodus has even reached the Aran Islands. Padraig Flaherty and his US-born wife Meg had the pleasure of seeing the yachts racing past the islands before hopping onto a plane themselves to see them up-close on the dock.
“Well, it was late when they came past the island and quite misty but once the mist lifted, there they were,” he said.
“The sails of all the boats just came out from the mist and it looked spectacular. Hopefully, it will come back to Galway again because it seems to have taken to the event and the atmosphere here is just amazing.”
There might only be a day to go, but everyone is already hoping it might be third time lucky for Galway and the world’s toughest sailing event.
