EFFORTS IN the west of Ireland to secure a return visit of the Volvo Ocean Race received a major boost yesterday when the Government committed €4 million in support of a Galway bid to host the 2011/12 event.
The funding is half what was secured for the 2009 stopover, and is subject to the balance being raised from the private sector. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen has backed the bid.
In welcoming the announcement last night, the Galway consortium Lets Do It Global, led by John Killeen, acknowledged the shortfall but repeated the view that the success of the last stopover in May 2009 left Galway well positioned.
Galway is vying with Lorient, France, and Lisbon, Portugal, in its bid to become the Atlantic stopover in two years’ time.
Chairman of Let’s Do It Global, Enda O Coineen, said that without the necessary central Government funding the bid would collapse.
The stopover in May 2009 was matched with a €15 million Irish entry, the Green Dragon yacht, which came fifth, of seven entries.
A decision on the bid is expected to be known next month.
Over 650,000 people visited the race village and Salthill during the festivities last summer, bringing €55.8 million to the area.
