GALWAY IS “confident” that it will be selected next week as finishing port for the Volvo round world yacht race in 2011-2012.
A complete circumnavigation of Ireland after the yachts complete their global transit may also be built into the final leg of the contest.
The international yacht race generated almost €60 million in revenue when it stopped in Ireland for the first time last year, attracting some 650,000 people to Galway .
Three European ports – Alicante, Spain, Lisbon in Portugal and Lorient in France – have already been selected for the 2011-2012 route, and confirmation of Galway’s bid is expected to be made by the race organisers early next week. It is expected that the race will stop in China and the US, while South Africa’s Capetown has already been confirmed as a host port.
John Killeen of Let’s Do It Galway Ltd, who was behind Galway’s successful bid last time, said yesterday that he was “quietly confident”.
It is understood that the Volvo organisers are mindful of Galway’s ability to throw a party – with 10,000 people turning out at 4am last May to welcome the fleet into the docks. The finish in St Petersburg is regarded as having been an expensive anti-climax. The Government has pledged €4 million towards the bid – half of the amount granted last time – but the Green Dragon Volvo 70 yacht will be used again.
Key infrastructure such as pontoons and swinging moorings is also in place in Galway docks, but the organisers still face a challenge to raise sufficient sponsorship.
The Green Dragonwill be given a new keel, its sails will also be modified, and all this work will be carried out in Ireland, Mr Killeen said.