Galway is preparing itself for an influx of thousands of visitors this Bank Holiday weekend. as theVolvo Ocean Race party continues apace.
Always billed as the major weekend in the Volvo Ocean Race stopover, the sailing bonanza moves from the docks to Salthill for the excitement of the in-port racing on Saturday, and that will be preceded by the Royal Air Force’s, Red Arrows at 12 noon, performing their flying acrobatics over the city.
A well-loved crowd pleaser, the Red Arrows are expected to kick off one of the best afternoons of entertainment planned for the Ocean Race festival despite the planned protest by the Galway Alliance Against War. The alliance plans to release 99 red balloons to highlight its opposition to the Red Arrows flying over Galway Bay at the Spanish Arch as the seven Volvo 70s take to the water in what promises to be a unique event in the city’s history.
After Saturday evening’s entertainment, headlined by Sharon Shannon on the Topaz Main Stage, Sunday’s main sailing event is the Pro-Am Racing on Sunday at 12 noon.
Already the Volvo Ocean Race stopover has surpassed expectations. Already an estimated 70,000 have visited Galway visited Galway since the Race Village opened on Saturday morning - with 50,000 in that first two days.
“We are delighted with the response, particularly given that the village did not open till lunchtime on Saturday,” said a spokesperon for organisers Let’s Do It Galway. “ Much better than expected. We are particularly pleased with the response from Galwegian families, in addition to a strong turn-out from people throughout Ireland.
“We did have a target figure of 140,000 for the two weeks, but based on current feedback we are now looking at 200,000 of which 10,000 are school children who have joined up to HB Let’s Do It Ocean Adventure Schools Programme.
“This event has really captured the interest and the imagination.”
Despite the boats’ arrival in the early hours of Sunday morning, the docks were thronged with some 10,000 revellers who overwhelmed the arriving teams.
Backed by welcome bonfires that lined the coast from the Aran Islands, and some 500 support boats lining the route, Galway certainly delivered on its promise as the “party stopover”.
“The best reception ever for the end of a leg,” said Neil Cox of second-placed Puma, while Torben Grael of leading boat and leg winner, said: “Galway is fantastic. There were so many people on the sea, and all the people in the harbor cheering. For us it is fantastic.”
There were of course special celebrations for Ireland’s Green Dragon, arriving home for the first time in nine months with a richly deserved podium finish in third.
“One of the biggest receptions we’ve seen in any port so far,” said Dragon’s Irish navigator Ian Moore. “It is just huge, phenomenal, really really cool.”
Within hours of their arrival, the cranes were already in place lifting the boats from the water for essential maintenance, and yesterday the Dragon was the first back in position to prepare for the in-port racing spectacle.
Despite the damp weather during the week, people have continued to stream through the village, and with the sun expected to shine again tomorrow and Saturday, organisers are already preparing for a massive crowd with the focus on free children and family events.
