Last Saturday saw experienced sailors taking to the annual Corrib for the Cong-Galway race, Europe’s oldest inland water race.
Now in its 127th year, the Cong-Galway race began as a round trip from the Royal Galway Yacht Club at the Fisheries Field in Galway to Ashford Castle in Cong and back in 1882, and was a major annual event until World War I broke out in 1914. The race was revived in its present form in 1972 and has been raced annually ever since.
This year some 32 boats took to the water, while a junior dinghy regatta was also held in conjunction with the race on its final leg. The Optimist sailors from Galway Bay Sailing Club and Cumann Seoiltóireachta an Spidéil held three races in the afternoon while waiting for the main fleet to arrive in Galway. First boat across the line in this year’s Cong- Galway Sailing race was XHiggy with Johnny Murphy on helm and Marie Salmon crewing.
Organised by the Corrib Rowing and Yachting Club, this year’s event, which was postponed due to the Volvo Ocean Race, proved a huge success. Each participating boat was presented with a Galway Crystal tumbler.
