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Displaying items by tag: Waterford Coast

Waterford Greenway, the longest off-road walking and cycling experience in Ireland, is to officially open tomorrow, Saturday (March 25). The eagerly awaited €15 million project stretches 46km from Waterford City to Dungarvan along the former Great Southern and Western Railway line.

The major tourism initiative now features in the Atlantic Coast Route of EuroVelo, a long distance cycling network connecting Europe. It is also part of Fáilte Ireland’s Ancient East experience.

The official opening of the Greenway will take place at the old Kilmacthomas Station House, the half-way mark on the dedicated walking and cycling path. Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Simon Coveney TD will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony. Multiple family-friendly events will also take place on Saturday at Waterford Institute of Technology’s West Campus, the Dungarvan Causeway and Kilmacthomas village.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Mayor of Waterford, Cllr Adam Wyse outlined: “It is fitting that the Waterford Greenway officially opens on March 25th, exactly 50 years after the last passenger train travelled along the old railway line between Dungarvan and Waterford. The Waterford Greenway is steeped in history and natural heritage, and I’m delighted to see it now re-imagined into an amenity that will continue to give great enjoyment to the people of Waterford and visitors to this great county well into the future.”

The Waterford Greenway was developed by Waterford City and County Council with the co-operation of local property owners and communities along the route, and supporting funding from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Also attending the official opening will be Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, Olympic silver medallist and Waterford native, John Treacy, who said: “Participation in sport and physical activity across all ages and backgrounds is vitally important. Having a world-class facility like the Greenway, with its beautiful vista and fantastic amenities, will encourage and provide opportunities to people of all ages, the length and breadth of Waterford, to get out and get active.

“I am also delighted that Waterford Greenway will be the 900th trail listed on the National Trails Register, which is managed by Sport Ireland.”

The route features 11 bridges, three viaducts and a 400-metre tunnel and takes in Waterford City, Mount Congreve, Kilmeaden, Kilmacthomas, Shanacool, Scartore and Dungarvan.

Saturday’s celebrations between 12pm and 4pm include a Viking Village and live music at WIT West Campus, while at Kilmacthomas village, revellers are invited to step back in time with a vintage car display and traditional Fair Day Mart. At the Dungarvan Causeway, there will be fairground rides, live music, juggling and stilt walking. There will also be free walks and talks throughout the afternoon, along with railway heritage exhibitions at Waterford County Museum in Dungarvan, and Kilmacthomas Library.

Published in Coastal Notes
Tagged under
It's that time of year again, dark evenings and looking for a new challenge writes Timmy Carey. Time to find a new sport to take away the winter blues, why not try SCUBA Diving or Snorkelling. Most clubs begin training either in October or February so now is the best time to enquire and give it a try. The shores of Ireland are blessed with a rich variety of marine life and with almost 12,000 shipwrecks around our coast, there is an never ending challenge awaiting. The Irish Underwater Council has almost 100 diving clubs clubs across Ireland affiliated to it and most will be running beginners scuba courses shortly. For further details log in HERE or alternatively ring the Irish Underwater Council head office at 01-2844601

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Divers completing a decompression stop after a 40 meter dive to the wreck of the ssFoilia off the Waterford Coast

Published in Diving

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020