Cork sailor Barry Hurley wins Galway race

The Volvo Ocean Race may have been won by a French yacht Groupama, which had Kerryman Damian Foxall on board on Tuesday morning in Galway, but a Corkman has triumphed in one race in Galway, and he did it on his own!

Cork sailor Barry Hurley won the Round Rockall Race in his boat, Dinah on Friday night. He sailed the 750 mile race single handed, beating the German boat Bank Von Bremen, which has a crew of nine, by two hours on corrected time. The race was organised by Galway Bay Sailing Club in advance of the Volvo Ocean Race Finale.

The third boat in the race, Jamie Young’s Killery Flyer ,got back to Galway at 11.50pm on Friday night. He also sailed the race solo.

All three crews were given rousing receptions when they berthed in Galway Harbour. On Friday night they will take centre stage at a ceremony to be attended by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring TD will officiate the prize giving.

Huge crowds turned out in Galway for the opening night of the nine day festival which has been organised around the finale of the 39,000 mile Volvo Ocean Race. The six boats taking part in the race arrived in Galway from Lorient early on Tuesday morning.

One Corkman did finish the Volvo Ocean Race on Tuesday morning. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, with Cork bowman and former Volvo winner Justin Slattery finished in fifth position overall.