#VOLVO OCEAN RACE – The Government backed sailing yesterday when Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Marine Minister Simon Coveney hosted a press conference at Government Buildings to highlight plans to harness the opportunity for Irish business and tourism presented by the forthcoming finish of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway. The race will finish there in July this year, and has a global audience of 2 billion people worldwide. It is expected the race will attract over 50,000 international visitors to Ireland this summer.
Galway previously hosted a stopover during the last race in 2009, and won the right to host the finish of this year's race over 81 competing cities around the world. This year's race is anticipated to yield about €65 million to the local and national economies.
Last week Enda O'Coineen, Chairman of the group bringing the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) to Galway attended last Saturday's Irish Sailing Association AGM and believes we need to radically rethink how we spend our resources to develop the sport of sailing in Ireland. His comments are here.
The race festival will officially run from 30th June to 8th July in Galway.
