Galway will have a new entrant in Ireland’s most prestigious off-shore yacht race.
A crew of students and graduates from NUI Galway will enter this year’s event for the first time and, in doing so, become one of the youngest to take on this challenge.
The crew, from different academic disciplines, including engineering, science and commerce, have chartered a 38-ft racing yacht specially for the event. Galway boasts a strong traditional in the biennial race, but crews have usually been drawn from the Galway Bay Sailing Club.
This year’s race begins on June 24 from its traditional starting point in Wicklow town and 60 competitors are expected to line-out for the 1,400km non-stop cicumnavigation of Ireland, which was first held in 1980 with just 13 entrants. The race record is currently held by 2008 line-honours winner ICAP Leopard, a 105ft racing machine that was the largest yacht to take part, which completed the race in two days and 17 hours, knocking 10 hours off the previous record. However that year it was Galway Bay Sailing Club’s Aodhan Fitzgerald who skippered Ireland West to an overall victory.
The 10 NUI Galway crew have been sailing together in the NUIG Sailing Club for the past few years, and their entry is supported by the university.
Pat Morgan, vice-president for the Student Experience at NUI Galway, said: “The university actively promotes leadership and team building skills and is delighted to support this crew to further develop these attributes as they compete in the Round Ireland Race.
“Their determination and drive, especially given that they are one of the youngest crews, is to be admired. We wish them fair winds and following seas.”
One of the main aims of this project is to promote the home-grown sailing talent in Galway. Boat skipper, Cathal Clarke says: “The vision of this project is to prove the wealth of sailing talent here on the west coast and to encourage the next generation of Volvo Ocean Race sailors to get out there and get sailing. We aim to inspire other sailors from the region to undertake such projects in the future.”
Cathal added: “A busy few months lie ahead for us, with training on and off the water, safety courses and coaching lined up. But the aims of this campaign are high, with a lot of experienced sailors on board, we will certainly be looking for good results.”
Encouraging the students was Cillian McGovern, project manager of Green Dragon who says: "The camaraderie and team work displayed by this young team is to be admired. What an opportunity to freshen up the sailing circuit in Ireland.”
