Archive News
Announcement expected on bid to host ocean race stopover
Date Published: {J}
by Frank Farragher
The Portuguese city of Lisbon was confirmed yesterday as the first of the European port stops for the 2012 Volvo Ocean Race – but Galway remains in hot contention for one of the subsequent stopovers.
A second European port stop will be confirmed tomorrow (Wednesday), and this is almost certain to be the French city of Lorient – the critical announcement for Galway is expected to come on either March 9 or 10.
Galway’s final package for hosting a stopover was presented to the race organisers last Friday, with discussions ongoing this week on some of the finer points of the application – the city’s big opposition comes from Amsterdam in Holland and Stockholm in Sweden.
John Killeen, Chairman of the Let’s Do It Galway group, told the Sentinel last evening that he was confident Galway would be the third European host port to be announced next week by the race organisers.
“We really have put together what we consider to be a very attractive and comprehensive package, and we do have the advantage of the success of last year’s stopover.
“The fantastic welcome the race got in Galway really delivered a wonderful message to the race organisers and indeed to the entire world. I am still confident that we will be chosen as the third stop-over port,” said Mr Killeen.
The only disadvantage Galway and Ireland faces is the smaller market which we present to major multi-national sponsors of the Ocean Race – Let’s Do It Galway are hoping that the warmth of the West of Ireland welcome last summer, will swing it their way.