merrion street

Pictured at Government Buildings with the Volvo Ocean Race trophy, which will be the only prize the winners of the world's premier global race will receive at the finish in Galway next July, are Enda O'Coineen, Chairman, Let's Do It Global; Knut Frostad, Chief Executive of the Volvo Ocean Race; Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and John Killeen, President, Let's Do It Global.

The race, known as the 'Everest of sailing', has global TV and radio audiences of over 1 billion people and will draw over 650,000 people to Galway between the 30th June and 8th of July next summer. It will be the largest event held in Ireland in 2012. A total of 81 venues worldwide competed for the right to host the finish to the Volvo Ocean Race. Galway's success in hosting a stopover as part of the 2009 race played a large part in it being awarded the right to host the finish to the 2011-2012 race.