The Connaught Schools Team Sailing Championships takes place in Galway this Saturday. Post-primary schools from all around Connaught have been invited to enter a team of six in the regional competition. Last year's Connaught Champions from Rice College, Westport will be out in force to defend their title however with a few new entrants the sailing competition is likely to be exciting. The event will be officially launched by Galway TD., Ciaran Cannon, Minister of State for Training and Skills at 9.30am at Bow Waves, in the Galway Ocean Sports Centre in Galway Harbour Enterprise Park.

The first race begins at 10.15am on the course laid out in Lough Atalia making it very accessible for all to spectate and watch the skills of these young sailors. Each school will have the opportunity to race against all other teams in a round robin series, followed by a semi-finals and a final heat. Viewing vantage points will be from Lough Atalia road and the balcony at the Radisson SAS hotel. This promises to be an action filled day with races running right into the evening.

Bow Waves is a leading watersports facility, based in the Galway Harbour Enterprise Development, running both leisure and commercial marine training courses year round. It was founded in 1996 by Finbarr O'Regan, a seasoned trainer, who has 20 years experience in marine, watersports and safety training.

"We've got the perfect location for sailing within the safe, sheltered waters of Lough Atalia. This is truly a one of kind sailing experience that will be both challenging and lots of fun for students,' O'Regan added.

'As a parent of three children, I see how important it is to sew the seeds early to develop an interest in healthy activities like sailing particularly in their teens,' said Finbarr O'Regan, 'by providing regional competitions like this, we assist children to look to the water as a great hobby and lifestyle into their adult years.' Finbarr and his wife Marguerite met through their involvement in watersports and decided to set up Bow Waves in Galway in the nineties as they settled down in the west of Ireland, having travelled the world with their common passion and interest. 'Our waterways, rivers and Galway Bay are fantastic natural amenities, how we use them and enjoy them can be greatly improved by starting children at a young age and can make a great difference to their future interests and a lifelong hobby,' commented Finbarr.