Team Sanya are working in close partnership with 'Lets Do It Global', organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race Finish in Galway, under the 'discoverireland. com' brand.

Team Sanya afloat in Irish colours. Photo: Tim Stonton

This is the second time China and Ireland have partnered with China to enter a boat into the Volvo Ocean Race. The first was with the Green Dragon Team in 2008-2009. Sanya, is situated in the southern most city in China and is a popular tourist destination. It is also where Rosanna Davidson won her Miss World title in 2003.

The chairman of Let's Do It Global Enda O'Coineen said ''this partnership with China and Ireland for Team Sanya is a dynamic collaboration of all Irish interests. Led by tourism, it will leverage the extraordinary opportunity the Volvo Ocean Race coming to Ireland presents. Having such a professional team and a skipper with the calibre of Mike Sanderson, twice winner of the Volvo Ocean Race and a Media Crew Member, Galway man Frankie Leonard on board we are assured of a very exciting race, culminating in the final in Galway on the 3rd July 2012. As final destination, Galway will host the largest festival in the country.

This is a major opportunity for the tourism sector and all Irish based businesses. We have developed "Global Village 2012" with four pillars, Food, Innovation, Green and Marine, as a platform to showcase to a global audience all that is good about doing business in Ireland."

The Volvo Ocean Rcae is regarded as sailing's premier global race and one of the most demanding team sports in the world. The race will begin on 29 October in Alicante, Spain and will finish in Galway early July 2012. is the stopover ports include Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Auckland, Itajai in Brazil, Miami, Lisbon, and Lorient.

She maybe old but she's still a fast one. Don't let the fact that a 33-year old local yacht took top prize from a combined fleet of 420 competitors at Ireland's biggest sailing regatta, the Volvo regatta in Dun Laoghaire yesterday.

The three sailors involved in the campaign, skipper Ken Lawless, Sybil McCormack and Pat Shannon have invested in a three year campaign to get the quarter tonner Supernova up to speed and it was only after a season of modifications last year that they found the real go button on the Dubois Starflash design.

In a classic Dublin Bay scenario a light westerly gradient breeze of 8 knots fought an opposing sea breeze leaving Ireland's top race management teams with little option but to reset some courses and abandon others across the regatta's nine different courses.

Despite the on the water headaches however, the outcome has been a full programme of races in nearly all the 25 competing classes, thanks to nimble race teams.

More light winds at Dun Laoghaire today. More Photos on the Afloat Gallery HERE.

It leaves just two more races for the one designs and dinghies and a single race to decide the overall honours in the Cruiser classes tomorrow (Sunday) morning.

The hardest done by was perhaps the SB3s and Dragons who were sailing in Scotsmans' Bay. Race three was started twice and abandoned twice as the regatta's Chief Race Officer Con Murphy sat between two bands of wind, neither stable enough for racing.

The fickle conditions brought the first slip from Flor O'Driscoll's leading J24 in Cruisers III. Though the Royal St. George Crew still lead their margin is now a single point over Ken Lawless' Supernova.

O'Driscoll who is counting three races wins only managed a second and an untypical  22nd placing today. Supernova closed the gap with two race wins. Another J24 3. Scandal (Brian McDowell) is third.

21 Cruisers III are racing in IRC and 33 under the local ECHO handicap to be the biggest class at the regatta.

The J109s are racing for national championship honours and Pat Kelly's Storm from Rush Sailing Club is back in command again after a slip on Friday. Second is Andrew Sarratt's with John Maybury's Joker third.

In spite of the race abandonment issues Sharkbait (Ben Duncan/Brian Moran) lead the Laser SB3s. Aidan O'Connell's entry from the Royal St.George is third with John O'Driscoll's BornChickaWahWah third.

In the dinghy classes Johnny Ross Murphy's Water wag Little Tern leads from Swift (Guy Kilroy). William and Linda Prentice's Tortoise is third.

The final races for all classes get underway in the morning at 10.55am

Selected overall VDLR results after Day three (provisional) below:

IRC CLASS 0 - 1. Crazy Horse (Chambers/Reilly), 2. Elf Too (Christina Murray) 3. Grand Cru II (Jamie McGarry)

IRC CLASS 1 – Something Else(John&Brian Hall/Sue McDonnell), 2 Bengal Magic (John Moorehead/Chris Ferres), 3. Antix Beag (Anthony O'Leary)

IRC CLASS 2 - 1. Ruthless (Conor Ronan), 2. Impetuous (Fergal Noonan/Robert Chambers) 3. King One (David Cullen)

IRC CLASS 3 - 1. Hard on Port (Flor O'Driscoll), 2. Supernova (Syd MacCormack/Ken Lawless/Pat Shannon), 3. Scandal (Brian McDowell)

NON SPINNAKER 1 - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Lula Belle (Liam Coyne), 3. Persistance (Charles Broadhead/Jerry Collins/Ian Stuart)

NON SPINNAKER 2 - 1. Bite the Bullet (Colm Bermingham), 2. Voyager (Joe Carton), 3. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer)

NON SPINNAKER DBSC CUP - 1. Persistance(Charles Broadhead/Jerry Collins/Ian Stuart), 2. Arwen (Philip O'Dwyer),3.Eden Park (Liam Farmer)

J109 - 1. Storm (Pat Kelly), 2. Jedi (Barratt/Austin/McGuinness), 3. Joker 2 (John Maybury)

J80 WELSH/IRISH CUP- 1. Ireland 1 (Geoff O'Donoghue), 2. Ireland 2 (Stephen Doherty), 3. Wales 1 (Kieron Inman)

LASER SB3- 1. Sharkbait (Ben Duncan/Brian Moran), 2. Aidan O'Connell, 3. BornChickaWahWah(John O'Driscoll)

BENETEAU 31.7 – 1. Twister(Fletcher/Byers/Fair),2. Flying Machine (Conor&Donal O'Gallagher),3.30 Something(Kavanagh/Jones/Gaffney/Lubliner)

SIGMA 33 - 1.White Mischief (Tim Goodbody), 2. Popje (Ted McCourt), 3. Moonshine (Ronnie Moloney/David O'Flynn)

RUFFIAN 23- 1. Ruff Nuff (Derek&Carol Mitchell), 2. Diane 2 (Alan Claffey) 3. Ruff n'Ready(Cullen/Brown/Kirwan)

SHIPMAN- 1.Curraglass (John Masterson), 2. Whiterock (Henry M Robinson), 3. Joe Slim(Clarke/Maher&Maher)

GLEN - 1. Glenluce (Donal&Richard O'Connor), 2.Glenmarissa(Frank Elmes/Wilf Higgins), 3. Pterodactyl (Roderick & David McCaffrey)
FLYING 15- 1. Hy5ive(David Gorman), 2. The Gruffalo (Keith Poole) 3. The Big Bow Wow (Niall Meagher&Nicki Matthews),

DRAGON- 1.Phantom (Peter Bowring/David Williams), 2. Jaguar(Martin Byrne), 3. Sir Ossis of the River (Burgin/Murphy/Burke)

MERMAID - 1. Tiller Girl (Johnathon O'Rourke), 2. Endeavour(Roger Bannon), 3. Thumbalina(Patrick Boardman)

SQUIB - 1. Toy for the Boys (Peter Wallace), 2. Femme Fatale(Joe O'Byrne/Vincent Delaney), 3. Anemos (Peter & Anne Evans)

WATER WAG - 1. Little Tern (J Ross-Murphy) 2. Swift(Guy Kilroy), 3. Tortoise(William & Linda Prentice)

WAYFARER- 1. Devil's Advocat (Richard Hartley) 2. Still Gamboling (Brian Lamb), 3. Black Pear (David Wade)

FIREBALL- 1. El Rey Del Fuego (Francis Rowan) 2. Lets Get Messy (Andy Boyle/Barry Hurley), 3. Moon Monkey (Diana Kissane)

IDRA 14- 1. Delos II (Patrick O Neill) 2. Dunmoanin (Frank Hamilton), 3. Chaos (Julie Ascoop/Heather Keenan)

HOWTH 17- 1. Isobel (Brian&Conor Turvey) 2. Oona (Peter Courtney), 3. Leila (Roddy Cooper)

LASER RADIAL - 1. Declan Kickham, 2. Pump It (Luke Murphy), 3. Eoin Foley

LASER STANDARD- 1. Fossa Too (Will Nesbitt), 2. SharonHowey.com (Richard Tate), 3. Francis Barry

Ireland's largest sailing event approaches the half way stage tomorrow and a number of key champions are emerging in cruiser, one design and dinghy classes.

Howth Yacht Club's Crazy Horse (Chambers/Reilly) leads Cruisers Zero from two Scottish visitors. Another local boat, the royal St. George's Sigma 38 Erislannan leads Class one, again from Scottish visitors.

Sligo Yacht Club's Conor Ronan has a two point lead in Class two but in the strongest regatta performance of the regatta to date the 2009 class three winner Hard on Port is in control again.

Flor O'Driscoll's J24 Hard on Port has three wins in his 38 boat fleet, the biggest fleet of the regatta.

Supernova,  (above) with three seconds, is challenging Hard on Port (below) with three first places in Cruisers III, the biggest fleet of the event

The one designs are lead, by fleet size at least, by the SB3s with 33 racing. The Howth trio of Ben Duncan, Brian Moran and Ric Morris are ahead but only by a point, their margin reduced by an OCS in race four.

The J109 class are also racing for national honours and after three races the early leader Pat Kelly's Storm has lost out to Joker (John Maybury) and Dermot Baker's Jalapeno in second.

The Dragon class only started racing the regatta today have now completed three races. Sir Ossis of the River sailed by Denis Bergin leads from Peter Bowring's Phantom.

Selected overall VDLR results (provisional) below:

IRC CLASS 0 (after three races) - 1. Crazy Horse (Chambers/Reilly), 2 Grand Cru II (Jamie McGarry) 3. Elf Too (Christina Murray)

IRC CLASS 1 (after three races) – Errislannan (Paul Kirwan), 2 Carmen II (Paul Scuff/Alan Jeffrey), 3. Animal (Debbie Aitken)

IRC CLASS 2 (after three races) - 1. Ruthless (Conor Ronan), 2. Impetuous (Fergal Noonan/Robert Chambers) 3. King One (David Cullen)

IRC CLASS 3 (after three races) - 1. Hard on Port (Flor O'Driscoll), 2. Supernova (Syd MacCormack/Ken Lawless/Pat Shannon), 3. Pinocchio (Noel Davidson)

J109 (after three races) - 1. Joker 2(John Maybury), 2. Jalapeno (Baker et Al), 3. Storm (Pat Kelly)

BENETEAU 31.7 (after three races) – 1. Twister(Fletcher/Byers/Fair),2. Flying Machine (Conor&Donal O'Gallagher),3.30 Something(Kavanagh/Jones/Gaffney/Lubliner)

SIGMA 33 (after three races) - 1.White Mischief (Tim Goodbody), 2. Popje (Ted McCourt), 3. Enchantress (Bonner/Nicholl/Larkin)

RUFFIAN 23 (after three races)- 1. Ruff Nuff (Derek&Carol Mitchell), 2. Ruff n'Ready (Cullen/Brown/Kirwan) 3. Paramour (Power/Sastre/Russell)

SHIPMAN (after three races)- 1.Curraglass (John Masterson), 2. Lulu (Bob & Tom Galvin), 3. Whiterock (Henry M Robinson)
GLEN (after three races)- 1.Glenmarissa(Frank Elmes/Wilf Higgins) 2. Glenluce (Donal&Richard O'Connor), 3. Pterodactyl (Roderick & David McCaffrey)

FLYING 15 (after four races)- 1. Hy5ive(David Gorman), 2. Gruffalo (Keith Poole) 3. Final Fling (Norman Hamilton/William Rutherford)

DRAGON (after three races)- 1.Sir Ossis of the River (Burgin/Murphy/Burke), 2. Phantom (Peter Bowring/David Williams), 3. Susele(Michael Halpenny)

MERMAID (after four races) - 1. Endeavour (Roger Bannon), 2. Thumbalina (Patrick Boardman), 3. MiDi (Enda Weldon)
SQUIB (after four races) - 1. Toy for the Boys (Peter Wallace), 2. Lola (Frank Whelan), 2. Anemos (Peter & Anne Evan)

Unexpected strong winds got the fourth Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta off to a stunning start on Dublin Bay yesterday even though a number of boats in the massive 420-boat fleet got into difficulties as the southerly breeze hit 25 knots. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO AND PICTURES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.

Nearly 3,000 sailors and 420 boats are afloat for the four day regatta that is the biggest sailing event in the Irish Sea area.

An impressive line up of 14 Class Zero boats has made Volvo Dun Laoghaire regatta the biggest turnout this year for the 40-footers and it was appropriate that Howth's well campaigned Crazy Horse should make the running in the big sea conditions.

Mighty Max, a Prima 38, a visitor to Dublin Bay from Liverpool

The Chambers/Reilly skippered Mills 36 beat Fairlie visitor Christine Murray's Elf too, a Beneteau First 40 on the windward leeward course. Third was another visitor Grand Cru (Jamie McGarry) from the Clyde.

Crazy Horse takes a wave in the first race. Photo: Gareth Craig

Anthony O'Leary put on a David vs Goliath performance in the dramatic opener. Surfing conditions gave his modified 1720 a real chance to show her speed downwind against some boats seemingly twice the size in IRC One.

The gutsy performance would have put the Royal Cork yacht 'Antix Beag' top of the 19-boat fleet except the Cork crew lost their rig. It is still unofficial but Debbie Aitken's Elan 380 Animal from Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club is the probable winner. Second is the locally based Sigma 38 Errislannan skippered by Paul Kirwan.

Late last night O'Leary got a new mast through one of the local sailing school's 1720 fleet and thanks to school principal Alistair Rumball the customised 1720 hopes to be back on the water  this morning.

A Mermaid dinghy is dismasted in the strong winds

In class two Sligo visitor Ruthless, a Corby 26, sailed by Conor Ronan beat the locally based half tonner Dick Dastardly from the DMYC. Another vintage half tonner, King one, from Howth and skippered by Dave Cullen was third.

Last year's winner of the overall Volvo trophy Flor O'Driscoll is back in contention again. His J24 Hard on Port was the winner of the regatta's biggest fleet taking a win from Ken Lawless's Supernova in the 38-boat class three division.

In the one design divisions there were plenty of familiar names at the top top of the fleets given the testing southerlies that prevailed.

Sigma Supreme - White Mischief prepares for a hoist

Tim Goodbody leads the Sigma 33s, David Gorman the Flying fifteens, Patrick Boardman the Mermaids, Colin Galavan the SB3s, first race winner Ben Duncan did not sail the second race. Pat Kelly's Storm leads the 10 boat J109s who are also racing for national championship honours.

Supernova takes a tack in Class Three

An Irish debutant leads the fleet after four days of competition in the Three Peaks Yacht Race. Last night Glen Ward's crew were climbing Ben Nevis.

Half the country is heading for the Tall Ships.

400 are now expected for next week's Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta.

There's only a month to Calves week in West Cork. The race programme (plus a sponsor) has been unveiled.

One year to go to the finish of the Volvo Ocean race. Galway gets serious.

Who should be June's Sailor of the Month? Water Rat asks are two medals a realistic expectation from London?

And finally, a German Honour on an Irish Lifesaver. Well done Frank Nolan.

All these stories – and more – on our home page this morning!

With only four months to the start of the race, China revealed its first sole entry into the Volvo Ocean Race this morning and also announced an Irish sponsor as part of its first challenge for world sailing honours. Discover Ireland, promoting Irish tourism, is backing the boat as a secondary sponsor. Mike Sanderson, one of the world's leading sailors and past winner of the race, will lead Team Sanya. 

Irish crew will also be on the boat for this episode of the race but those details are under wraps until an Irish launch of the project on July 1, it is understood.

The Chinese entry is the seventh entry in to the race.

The race finishes in Galway in June 2012.

Despite its huge technical and financial resources, the most populous nation on the planet has never won a round-the-globe sailing competition but intends to make the breakthrough, with the recruitment of New Zealander Mike Sanderson as skipper.

Sanderson, 40, is a two-time winner of the Volvo Ocean Race and will chase a hat trick of triumphs with a crew that mixes experienced sailors with relatively raw Chinese members.

Team Sanya is the seventh world-class contender to join this year's race, with Sanderson going head-to-head with some of the sailing's biggest names.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to race under the flag of such a great country and culture," said Sanderson today at the Team Sanya launch in central Beijing.

"We are building up a strong team and are ready to take on this exciting challenge. Our approach will be one of compelling intent, working fast and smart, representing this great country and team with ambition, dynamism and colourful energy."

China, as is the case in many sports, has incredible potential within sailing and a win in the Volvo Ocean Race would be a huge boost to its ambitions.

Li Quanhai, Vice Chairman of the China Yacht Association said: "China is a sports power and has abundant marine resources. Our involvement in top sailing events, such as the Olympic Regatta and the Volvo Ocean Race, greatly improves the development of China's water sports.

Knut Frostad, CEO of Volvo Ocean Race said: "We are very excited about the news of Team Sanya and the return of Mike Sanderson, a veteran and true ambassador of the Volvo Ocean Race.

"This will be the seventh entry for the next edition and will not only bring a competitive yacht to our first class field but also will allow China to build on its already large sailing following.

"Team Sanya will allow the Chinese sailing fans to connect with the Volvo Ocean Race again and will be an amazing platform to engage with new audiences and attract potential tourists to Sanya and China itself."

For the Deputy Mayor of Sanya, Wu Yanjun, the city known as the "Hawaii of the Orient" would directly benefit from this opportunity. "Hosting world class events like the Volvo Ocean Race will directly improve our sailing and yachting related facilities."

The stopover will be in Luhuitou Bay, Sanya, where construction is expected to finish in August 2011. When completed, the facility will be a world-class marina.

China was previously represented in the 2008-2009 edition by Green Dragon, a jointly backed venture with Ireland and there will again be an Irish flavour to the Team Sanya challenger with Discover Ireland, promoting Irish tourism, renewing its commitment as a secondary sponsor.

Helly Hansen will be the Official Clothing Partner to the team and the Sanya-based Blue Ocean Protection Association will conduct onboard environmental-protection initiatives while spreading the philosophy of protecting the oceans everywhere throughout the race.

Mr. Jiang Sixian, Vice-governor of Hainan Province and Party Secretary of Sanya City, Mike Sanderson, Skipper of Team Sanya, George Blake, General Manager, Global Promotion for Team Sanya. China launched its first ever sole entry in the Volvo Ocean Race today and announced that one of the world's leading sailors, twice Volvo Ocean Race winner Mike Sanderson from New Zealand, would helm its Team Sanya for the gruelling nine-month, 39,270 mile challenge beginning in October. The Announcement took place at the Park Hyatt, Beijing, China Friday June. 17, 2011.

Already 380 boats have signed up for the regatta which will be the biggest sailing event in Ireland in 2011. The competing sailors are drawn from Dublin Bay yacht clubs as well as from across Ireland with added participation from English, Welsh, Scottish, Isle of Man, French, Spanish, German and Danish yacht clubs.

For many of the boats in the cruising classes, Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2011 will be the culmination of hard training and participation first at the ICRA National Championships at Royal Cork Yacht Club in Crosshaven (17th – 19th June) and then the Sovereign's Cup at Kinsale (22nd – 25th June.) When the first starting guns are fired in Dun Laoghaire on the afternoon of Thursday 7th July, the fleet form should be clearer based on the results from the earlier regattas.

However star contenders that lined up for prizes at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2009 are already in contention for prizes in 2011.

IRC Class Zero has attracted ten entries and will feature boats such as Aquelina, a J122 Arklow Sailing Club, Dopplebock, German-entry Dopplebock from Nordduscher Regatta Verein, a new J111 that is the latest 'WoW' from the Royal Irish Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire and Cork's Jump Juice from the RCYC; all are expected to feature in the top results. Organisers are also expecting entries from Allan Hogg's, Argie Bargie from Royal Western Yacht Club, Kilrush, Co Clare and Vincent's Farrell's, Tsunami, from the National Yacht Club.

IRC Class 1 has already attracted 22 entries and will feature Afloat's Sailor of the Year 2010 Anthony O Leary with Antix Beag (RCYC), a modified 1720 which in the right conditions is unbeatable. Paul O'Higgins's Rockabill V (NYC/ RIYC) was IRC 1 champion at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2009 is also a key contender. Organisers say Rockabill is an extremely well crewed boat and could be in contention for the overall event prize.

IRC Class 2 has already attracted 24 entries and the star contender is David Cullen's King One, a half tonner from Howth Yacht Club which although a classic boat is very well sailed. Red Rhum, Jonathan and Christopher Nicholson's Dehler DB1 from the Royal St George Yacht Club which won on ECHO at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2009 is also in this class.

IRC Class 3 also has a strong entry with 33 entries so far and Flor O'Driscoll's Hard on Port (RStGYC) was the only boat in 2009 which achieved race wins across the regatta and is obviously the star contender in this class.

The non spinnaker classes (White Sail 1 and White Sail 2) which demonstrate the true spirit of sailing, have already attracted 25 entries, especially from visiting entries.

Philip Dillworth's Orna, a Grand Soleil 40 from the National Yacht Club which will sail in Non Spinnaker class 1 is a wonderfully consistent boat that wins everything. Other boats to watch out for in this class are Persistance from the RIYC which won on ECHO in White Sail 1 class at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2009 and Katanca from RIYC and MacMagic from HYC who both achieved line honors two years ago.

So far 12 J109's are registered to race at Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta 2011 and John Hall's 'Something Else' from NYC is widely regarded as the boat to beat in that class. Other 'one design' classes will include the Beneteau 31.7s, the Sigma 33s, the Ruffian 23s and the Shipman 28s.

The dinghy classes will include Laser SB3s sportboats. Squibs, Mermaids, Dragons, Flying Fifteens, Fireballs and Lasers single-handed.

Ben Duncan and Brian Moran's SB3, Sharkbait from Howth YC is already sitting at top of its class. But another a key competitor in that class will be Annalise Murphy who is currently ranked 9th in the world by the ISAF (International Sailing Federation), is a 2012 Olympic sailing campaigner and has kindly taken on the role of 2011 Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta ambassador. Annalise will be sailing the SB3, Bluebird. In the Dragon class, a former Olympic boat, Martin Byrne is currently the national champion on Jaguar, so is the boat to beat in that class.

The classic boat classes will include Glens, Howth 17s, IDRA 14s, Water Wags, Wayfarers and Etchells and may be consolidated into a single race area, depending on the turn out. The UK and Irish national championships for the Wayfarer class will also take place during the event, with 40 to 50 boats expected in this fleet alone.

Organisers are also trying to build a relationship with the kite boarding class, which may become an ISAF Olympic class by 2016. The Regatta will have a prize for a kite boarding event in Sutton, and will have a kite boarding demonstration on one of the regatta days.

In addition to the overall winners and runners up, special trophies will be awarded for Best IRC, Best One Design/ Keelboat, Best Dinghy/ Small Keelboat, Best Visiting Boat and the Irish Open White Sail Champion.

Behind the scenes, there'll be more than 300 volunteers making sure that the event runs smoothly and organisers say they will process more than 6,000 sets of results (including handicap combinations) over the four days.

The regatta will take over the entire waterfront at Dún Laoghaire for the event, using the four yacht clubs and benefiting from Dublin Bay Sailing Club's expertise and equipment.

Lets Do It Global, the organisation behind the Irish entry in to the Volvo Ocean Race and the  Galway Race finish has announced a new Chief Executive Officer. It has also announced it is 'closing a seed fund' to support the race festival takikng place in just over a year's time.

The new CEO announced today is Fintan Healy. His appointment follows a selection process where there were 20 applicants. His specific focus will be the Volvo Ocean Race Finish in Galway 2012, the planned Festival and Galway's Global Village (Expo) 2012.  

With still eight weeks to go to the first race in Volvo Dun Laoghaire Regatta there are 360 entries now in from across 24 classes.

The line up has got an international flavour too; there are entries in from Germany, France, Denmark, Scotland, Wales, UK and of course Ireland with the bulk of entries drawn from the capital's own waters of Dublin Bay. Here's a sneek peek (below) of the first 360 entries so far: