Galway Bay Sailing Club's biggest-ever sailing event will be held over the week-end of Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May at the clubhouse in Renville, Oranmore. The Volvo Connacht Optimist Sailing Championship is being sponsored by Kenny Galway, main Volvo agents and is also being supported by the Marine Institute. The event was launched last Thursday at a reception in the Kenny Showrooms, Tuam Road.

This junior event will attract sailors from all over Ireland in one of the most competitive boat classes in Ireland. The Optimist Association of Ireland, which coordinated a fleet of up to 1000 boats sailed by young people aged 8-15, has classes/fleets of this popular dinghy in every sailing club throughout the island and are delighted to see this major important event come West.

"This is by no means a small regatta and is a challenge for any reasonable sized club," said John Leech, Chairman of the event team and CEO of Irish Water Safety Association. "This level of activity demands excellent organisation which the event team has taken on board. There will be up to 40 personnel on the water laying courses, providing rescue cover and safety control. Many more people will be involved providing on shore assistance and back-up support."

Several races will take place for the 100 + competitors over the weekend for the Gold, Silver and Bronze fleets, racing under GBSC Principal Race Officer, David Vinnell and his race management team. Mr Paul O'Brien, Commodore of GBSC said the various fleets will make a great spectacle on the bay and he hopes that plenty of people will come along to watch them. He said the club is delighted to have several of its own junior oppie members compete in the Championships.

Throughout the winter they have been coached by John Collins, the Club's junior organiser, assisted by Noel Harvey in preparation for the event. He said that Galway is beginning to realise the magnitude of welcoming the Volvo Ocean Race to the Galway stopover in 2009 and this event is very important leading up to this major World Race.

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