IN MILD humid, light southerly winds, a flotilla of yachts, boats and assorted craft marked the arrival of Ireland's Green DragonVolvo round-the-world yacht race entry into Galway docks yesterday.
=The 70-foot white hull, financed by Irish and Chinese business syndicates, arrived into its "home port" for the first time since Galway made its successful bid to host the 37,000 nautical-mile circumnavigation in 2009.
On board for the berthing was Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív and Galway developer Eamon Conneely, who holds the title of Green Dragon director of sailing.
Skippered by double Olympic medallist, British yachtsman Ian Walker, the crew includes three of Ireland's best-known professional ocean sailors, Damian Foxall, Justin Slattery and Ian Moore.
The international crew expects to attend Galway Race week, before returning to Cork for a refit. It leaves for Alicante in Spain next month, and is due to compete in a qualifier for the 2008-9 event - formerly known as the Whitbread round-the-world yacht race.
Several hundred people were on the quay at Galway docks to welcome the vessel, which berthed close to the Marine Institute's research vessel, Celtic Explorerand the Ocean Youth Trust's training yacht, Lord Rank.
Galway is the first Irish stopover and one of 11 ports approved for the event, and Fáilte Ireland is a principal sponsor of the €8 million bid. A separate west coast entry in the Volvo race by 2007 Fastnet-race winner and Limerick sailor Ger O'Rourke is still seeking funds for its €4 million budget.
During the fortnight-long Galway stopover in late May, 2009, a series of festivals, concerts and events on and off water have been planned by the organisers, and on June 6th the seven official entries will leave for Gothenborg in Sweden. The race starts in Alicante, Spain, on October 11th, and takes in a new route via Capetown, Kochi, Singapore, Qingdao, Rio de Janeiro, Boston, Galway, Gothenburg, Stockholm and St Petersburg. Last time Ireland competed in the event was with NCB Irelandsome 20 years ago.
The Green Dragonis due to be named on Wednesday and leaves Galway on Thursday.
