Return of Volvo Ocean Race in 2012 a huge boost

THE LEAKED news that many dared not believe could be true was finally confirmed in Dublin this week – Ireland will host the Volvo Ocean Race once again, and this time it will be for the finish of the round-the-world competition on Galway Bay in early-summer 2012.

The rumour-mill has suggested that a race around Ireland will be included, or perhaps an in-port race, or that Green Dragon will compete with an optimised keel, etc. But other than the commitment of the event finishing in Galway, none of the above is confirmed.

The full course will be revealed at the end of the month and the race rules will emerge closer to the start date in 2011.

Based on the 2009 stop-over performance that delivered an estimated economic return of €55 million, a forecast of €80 million for the finish in two years has already been projected.

Yet, this next event is likely to be a significantly different animal than the last one.

Historically, the finishing port tends to be an anti-climax, especially when one boat dominates the event – the overall result is well-known and team contracts are dated to end within hours of the final prize-giving, leading to a mass exodus.

However, the event organisers have responded to this issue by reducing the number of stop-overs and the time spent in each port with the aim of eliminating race-fatigue among participants and supporters alike.

It will be a challenge for Galway’s organisers who, having set the bar so high last June, will be expected to deliver an even bigger spectacle as befits the end of the race. The next race is also likely to be a much closer contest, at least among the leading entries so the possibility of a open contest on the finishing-line is real.

At the French/International Groupama team base in Lorient this week, Argentinian designer Juan Kouyoumdijan, whose boats have won the last two events, is reviewing plans for skipper Franck Cammas’ entry.

Corkman Killian Bushe, builder of the last three race winners, has just committed exclusively to Cammas, who also has Ireland’s Damian Foxall and a slew of leading sailors on board.

Among the team, few disagree given “Juan K’s” success, the third generation of VO70-footers will closely follow the well-proven hull shape that started with ABN Amro One that brought success to Mike Sanderson’s team in 2005-2006 that in turn formed the basis for Ericsson 4 and victory for Torben Grael; she now lies at the former submarine pens in Lorient as the test model for this well-prepared entry.

Meanwhile, another Galway sailing project was scuttled last weekend when the Irish Sailing Association scrapped plans to move from Dublin to a purpose-built headquarters and national watersports centre by the bay.