SAILING:GALWAY COULD be last in line to host the 2011 Volvo Ocean Race after Lisbon, Portugal, and L'Orient, France, were selected as stopover ports ahead of the Irish port this week.
Now Galway promoters are pinning their hopes on being handed the finish of the race, a prospect which chairman of the promoters, Let’s do it Galway, Enda O’Coineen, describes as a “real possibility”.
“It looks like we might be in direct competition with Amsterdam and Sweden to host the final leg now,” he said. “We find out next week, but it is fingers crossed at this stage.”
O’Coineen made his final pitch to the Volvo Race officials in Alicante, Spain, last week. It is understood that the Irish pitch includes a circuit of Ireland as a race climax.
The Government has committed €4 million in support of the Irish bid.
The support is based on the value to tourism and the economic impact of the hugely successful 2009 event which delivered €55.8 million economic boost to Galway and Ireland and which saw over 650,000 visits to the city.
Meanwhile, the fact the Irish Cruiser Racer Association (ICRA) signed up a sponsor this week for its 2010 championships at the Royal St George YC and it was reported as news is an indication of the times we live in.
With many sponsors disappearing like snow off a ditch in spring, ICRA have secured Liebherr fridges and freezers as title sponsors for the May event, a major fixture on the domestic calendar that will feature some other changes this year too.
A no-spinnaker class has been added to the ticket, and these White Sails boats will race for the inaugural Corinthian Cup, supplied by the host club.
A race from Crosshaven to Dún Laoghaire the previous week (May 14th) has been scheduled as a feeder to the cruiser event, which expects to top 100 boats. The 150-miler is also a recognised qualifier for the Round Ireland, a month later.
The latest news is that double-handed entries have been accepted as a class in this feeder. They will, no doubt, be joined by some of the Commodore’s Cup team, using it for important practise offshore.
Dublin Bay Sailing Club will unveil a range of new courses for its summer season, the club has confirmed.
Arising out of congestion on Thursday evenings, the club has been motivated to separate its blue and red fleets, totalling nearly 300 boats.
There are 17 keelboat fleets, each racing at different speeds, so separating classes is no easy job.
Two new marks have been introduced, Merrion in Seapoint Bay and Molly near Scotsman’s Bay, to combat the problem, while other marks have been moved.
The Blue fleet (Cruiser classes 0, 1, 2, 3, 31.7s Sigmas and White Sail boats) will race in the upper northern part of the racing area on Thursdays.
Meanwhile, Team Windmill and Aztec are joint first on modified Echo handicap going into Sunday’s final race of the club’s Viking Marine-sponsored Spring Chicken series, a gathering of 55 boats – not bad for a local turnout in winter.
The Association of Yachting Historians will next month present an afternoon of talks entitled “Dublin Bay – the Cradle of Yacht Racing”.
Hal Sisk will chair the two sessions in Dún Laoghaire’s Royal Irish Yacht Club on April 10th.
Topics will include “The Irish Yachting Dinosaur”, when naval architect Theo Rye will discuss the recent discovery and recording of a large iron sailing yacht on a lake in the Irish midlands. Admission is free, but booking is essential on 087 2235148.
Thirty different sessions are planned for the annual Irish Sailing Association (ISA) Conference that takes place this weekend, March 6th and 7th, in the Osprey Hotel, Naas, Co Kildare.
Delegates representing ISA-affiliated organisations from around the country will attend an intensive programme of presentations, seminars and workshops over the weekend.
Ireland’s only ISA-approved Irish college has announced that it will give away €15,000 worth of scholarships to promote sailing and windsurfing through Irish.
Coláiste Uisce, in northwest Mayo, is offering the scholarships to any sailing and windsurfing gaeilgeoir from sixth class to sixth year.
