Celebrations continue in Galway today to mark the conclusion of the Volvo Ocean Race.
French yacht Groupama, with Kerryman Damian Foxall on board, was declared overall victor in the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Yacht Race when it finished the Lorient to Galway leg early on Tuesday morning.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny is in the city this morning to officially open the International International Sustainability Summit, and he will attend the skipper’s ‘shindig’ at the Global Village at 7pm.
Entertainment throughout the day includes sailing lessons with the Galway Bay Sailing Club and the Volvo Ocean Racing Academy.
Fashion, beauty and jewellery exhibitions, as well as showcase events for Irish artisan food products continue throughout the day at the Global Village. Galway Fringe Festival events, including music and storytelling, also continue throughout the day.
From midday to 4pm, the Volvo Ocean Race V70 fleet will practice in Galway Bay.
The blue and silver Volvo Ocean Race trophy – weighing 9 kilos and standing 70cms high - will drop from the skies during the parachute display staged by the Aer Corps ‘Black Knights’ parachute team.
The five-member team, carrying the flags of the ten countries that participated in the race, will parachute from an Augusta Westland AW 139 helicopter to a waterfront landing zone close to the Global Village in South Park at 5pm.
The national flags will be displayed in formation on the beach as the helicopter lands to deliver the trophy to the race event’s chief executive Knud Frostad, and John Killeen, president of local organiser Let’s do it Global, in the presence of the Taoiseach.
The prize-giving ceremony for leg 9 of the race will take place on the main stage in the race village.
Skipper Chris Nicholson and the crew of Camper, with Emirates Team New Zealand who crossed the finishing line seven minutes ahead of the race’s overall race winner Groupama will be presented with their prize.
Tonight’s events conclude with music by De Danann and Altan on the Harbour Main Stage from 7.30pm.
President Michael D Higgins visited Galway yesterday and said the festival, with its cultural and marine dimensions, was “identifying a part of Ireland that is a part of our strength, that is really the best of our reputation”.