No-one though it possible, but the Let's Do It Galway team have secured Galway as the finish port for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/2012.

The VOR70s will be in Galway again in June 2012!

We're bowled over here in Afloat.ie HQ - share your thoughts on the great news here
- Who'll be the crew of the new Green Dragon?
- Will they get the Round Ireland leg included?
- Will the craic be as mighty as in 2009?

Answers on a forum post....

Just how the hell did they do that? Please bear in mind this:

In late 2009, Letís Do It Global, the Irish corporate promoters of the event, approached the Government seeking financial support for a bid for Galway to host a stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012. Since then the proposal has been considered by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and representatives of other relevant Departments and State agencies. Despite general support across Departments and agencies for the proposal, funding of the magnitude required from outside the existing budget lines is not available for the project in current financial circumstances.

Dara Calleary (Minister of State with special responsibility for Labour Affairs, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment; Mayo, Fianna Fail

This is Brilliant News!

There were opinions expressed after the party atmosphere of the Galway Stopover in 2009 that the VOR finish in St. Petersburg was a bit of an anti-climax.
I'm sure that the decision makers had Galway (and the craic) in mind for a finish to the 2011/2012 edition.

With the goverment pledging 4 million (half of what was given previously) it certainly opened the gate for this great news - that Galway yet again will come alive with the Volvo Ocean Race.

Can you imagine the dream scenario?

After the atlantic crossing to L'Orient that there could possibly be 2-3 boats in close contention.
This whole event could be decided on a lap of Ireland before the finish in Galway as there is the possibility of double points for the final leg.

The 2009 event delivered a Ä55.8 million boost to Ireland and Galway which saw over 650,000 visits to the city. The value to tourism and the economic impact that this represents cannot be underestimated.

This is great news, Great news indeed!

What a massive coup for Ireland and Galway.
Everyone at Let's do it Galway are a credit to the nation.
Their never say die attitude is to be commended as is their unbreakable spirit.
Many of us, myself included thought we were sunk after Lisbon and Lorient both got the nod.
Cometh the hour, cometh the men/women from Let's Do It.
They did it, and roll on 2012!!

The positive result of their endeavours serves as a timely reminder as to what this mighty island nation can achieve once she gets the bit between her teeth.
NCB, Green Dragon....3rd time lucky?

Any one in Galway NOT know what this might be?

From a press release from the VOR office yesterday:
Alicante, Spain: The Volvo Ocean Race will continue to introduce the new route for 2011-12 on Wednesday 10 March. A press release will be issued at 13:30 GMT, 14:30 CET on that day. Specific press information distributed in French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese. Images and archive broadcast footage will be available.†- volvooceanrace.org

A quick word on the Volvo Ocean Race stopovers.

There are only three stopover ports in the 2011/12 race that hosted stopovers in the last race. Two of them are there largely out of necessity.

Alicante is the start and the race base.
Cape Town is the border post between Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Galway, then is the odd one out.

Other stops from the last race got bumped, and one can assume that had they actually wowed the crowd, they'd still be there. Singapore was a flop. Boston was big, but got axed in favour of Miami (or so the leaks tell us) which last hosted the race in 2002.

Rio lost the carnival to Itajai (even Google has trouble finding it) and Qingdao lost the Chinese stopover to Sanya.
Sweden and Russia have been cut entirely, with France securing two bites of the cherry with Lorient.

Galway, however, stands strong from the last race. And it's the only one [that matters] to do so.

Just sayin...

Have at me if you think this is just tooting Galway's horn...

We have to thank Lets' Do it Galway and all who contributed to the success.
Enda O'Coineen, John Killeen and Eamon Conneely didnt rest on their laurels and have pushed on for greater success.
It is surprising to see no Scandanavian or British stopover.
Though not surprising too- it brings a freshness to the race.
It is worth noting too- I was in Stockholm the day before the fleet landed and checked into a hostel 20min walk from the race village- the man at the desk didnt know about the race. In Ireland and Galway- there were not many that didnt know.

It will be interesting to see what happens in Galway in 2012- an inport race and a pro-am race would be worth including, especially seeing as St.Petersburg was viewed as an anti-climax.

Tooting Galways horn is no harm!
The more talk of the race coming to Ireland the better.

Well Done Markham.
Great to take that pin out of the grenade and throw it in there....

The more debate/discussion about the Galway Finish 2012 the better.
As the last post "gilligan" mentioned - this promotes the event and keeps it foremost in peoples mind.

I do sincerely believe that the comments from some of the skippers at the last stopover in Galway had a lot to do with this decision.

Ken Read, Puma " Why do we have to leave? I want to stay" in reference to Galway

In the biggest influx of people in to Galway city since the Papal visit, 600,000 people watched the in-port races and the pro-am event in the bay. When they left, the skippers were unanimous that it had been the most hospitable time of the race.

So after the damp squib that was the finish in St. Petersburg - I'm not surprised that Galway was picked to host the final "Party"

I sincerely wish/hope that after the new appointment of Minister Mary Hanafin to the Dept of Tourism yesterday that the most is made of this 2nd visit of the VOR.

As mentioned in the Irish Times Article of Nov 17th '09

"Galway docks was transformed, but the progress needs to continue. It took the arrival of the VOR 70 fleet to prompt a 25-berth marina there. Sail away from this modest pontoon and there are only two other facilities on the entire western seaboard, Irelandís beautiful but very inaccessible 300-mile stretch of coast.

If there is to be any material legacy, it must be a marina for Galway ñ not of 25 berths but 200 as a clear signal that we are serious about providing marine infrastructure.

That would mean Galway could become a serious ocean race component given its geographical advantage for many transatlantic fixtures that currently bypass Ireland."

Let's grab this nettle and shake ourselves out of the doom and gloom.
This return visit in 2012 is good for Galway, good for Ireland and good for sailing - if its followed up.