Walker to take the helm in €20m bid

Sailing Volvo Ocean Race 2009:British Olympic medallist Ian Walker will take the helm of a €20 million Irish bid to win next year's Volvo Ocean race in the biggest ever announcement for Irish sailing yesterday that promises to generate 43 million for the Galway economy.

Within 11 months of the race start it was confirmed by a trio of Galway businessmen - Enda O'Coineen, John Killeen and Eamon Conneelly - that not only is Ireland bringing the Volvo fleet to these shores but aiming to take the overall trophy home as well.

But building the fastest monohull boat in the world to a tight timetable will be no mean logistical feat.

Seven months ago the country's new force in sailing delivered on its word by securing for Galway prized stop-over port status in the Volvo Ocean Race, but until yesterday kept the lid on the second part of that promise: an Irish entry into the race.

Walker (37), a silver medallist from Atlanta and Sydney, has also been involved with two previous America's Cup campaigns but is now relishing the challenge of this global offshore challenge and skippering the Irish yacht that has yet to be named.

In a roll out of international talent at the Merrion Hotel, Dublin "Green Team" CEO Jamie Boag not only announced a British skipper but Californian designers, Kiwi mast manufacturers, American Sailmakers plus a team of Australian boat builders currently building the Irish 70-footer in China.

Since the Government announced its backing for the project in May a new organisation has been set up to manage the Galway stop-over and the boat with costs running to €18-22 million.

"Let's do it Global" is a not-for-profit company. Its overall chairman is O'Coineen who says the event will bring €43 million to the Galway economy through tourism. A claim also made by race CEO Glenn Bourke also in Dublin for the announcement.

As well as Killeen and Conneely,also associated are the president of the Irish Sailing Association Robert Dix, along with sailing stalwarts David Beattie, Gerry Barrett and Richard Burrows. Fifty per cent of the €20 million target has already been secured with eight million of it in State funding coming through Fáilte Ireland.

The State funds are being used primarily for the Galway stop-over but the State is also one of the sub-sponsors of the yacht.

The balance of the secured funds to date has come from a private syndicate of 12 individuals including O'Coineen, Conneelly and Killeen. It's aim is to expand this as well as attracting commercial sub-sponsors. The search for a title sponsor is also underway. In the months ahead, the small group of enthusiasts who have steered the project this far also need to roll it out as a national campaign to gain national support.

Last time in the Southern Ocean, keels gave big problems with one boat hitching a ride on a ship and another going back for structural repairs only to be dismasted later. But for the rest of the fleet, speeds were phenomenal and a second 24-hour world monohull record was lodged. Even faster speeds are expected next year with up to 600 miles per day likely.

The boat is crewed by 10 sailors and although Green Team are in talks with sailors for key positions on the boat, such as navigator and tactician, a crew panel will not be announced until January.

The state of flux over the 2009 America's Cup conveniently plays into the hands of Walker who will be hoping to avail of the services of Wexford's Justin Slattery, the winning bowman from the 2005 ocean race. Slattery is currently signed up, along with Carrickfergus navigator Ian Moore, to race with Team Origin, the British America's Cup bid.

But crew is only part of the logistical task - Walker left Ireland yesterday to oversee hull construction work and wind-tunnel testing in Australia. The boat is expected to be on the water in May and based at Galway docks for testing from June; raising the prospect of its first race being the BMW Round Ireland race on June 21st. A circumnavigation it is capable of completing in little over 24 hours.

Yesterday's launch marks the start of an exciting challenge for Irish sailing. There is a huge amount of work to be done before the start line in Spain in 11 months and, as Walker will tell you, even after all the careful preparation, it will not be the going out of port, but the coming in, that determines the success of this voyage.