A group of sailors from Galway are taking to the water again for a summer campaign that will culminate with the famous Fastnet Race.
Skippered by former Round Ireland race winner Aodhan Fitzgerald, the campaign is supported by Discoverireland.ie and The Gathering Ireland 2013.
The team, which comprises a panel of 15 sailors with a mix of offshore and inshore experience, will sail a Reflex 38 racing yacht, which previously won the Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race in 2011.
The campaign got underway last Saturday with Galway Bay Sailing Club’s annual Clarenbridge Crystal Trophy race on Galway Bay, and the yacht i now is being prepared to sail to Tarbert, Loch Fyne, Scotland for the annual Scottish Series regatta from May 24-27 where the inshore members of the team led by Martin Breen from GBSC will compete.
Also scheduled on the programme are the bi-annual Dun Laoghaire to Dingle Race where the team will defend its 2011 title in this 300 mile race, the National Championships in Fenit (June13 - 15 ) and the Sovereigns Week regatta in Kinsale at the end of June.
It will then take part in “The Gathering Cruise” which will see more than 100 sail and power boats cruising in company from Dublin to Kinsale, and on to Dingle, as part of The Gathering 2013 festivities.
The boat will then be delivered to Cowes, Isle of Wight, where it will start as “Discover Ireland” in the world Famous Rolex Fastnet race. The team can be followed on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Discover-Ireland-Sailing-Team/164484757041252
or get updates on our progress from Discover Ireland on Twitter: www.twitter.com/discoverirl
