Competitors will start from a line off Nimmo's pier in Galway a 21.00 tomorrow, rounding the Aran Islands to port and finishing off Kilronan pier in Inis Mor.
According to the Galway Bay Sailing Club website, the record stands at 5 hrs 43 minutes, although the tongue-in-cheek reference to it may be a factor in why the World Speed Sailing Records Council has yet to ratify the record.
All the proceeds of the race go to charity - the 100 entry fee per boat benefitting the people of the Galway Hospice.
As befits such a honest, well-spirited race, no truck will be given to those trying to steal a few extra seconds on corrected time. We love the implicit trust placed in competitors by the Sailing Instructions:
'Competitors will take their own finishing times from a GPS, or from a watch synchronised with GPS time.
Finishing times shall be reported, in hours, minutes and seconds, to and acknowledged by the event co-ordinator by 1800hrs Saturday 14th June preferably by text message to 0879840208 stating boat name and finishing time.
Best of luck to all involved.
