Europe’s oldest and longest inland water sailing race will take place this weekend after the event was postponed in June because of poor weather conditions.
Five local sailing clubs are preparing to take part in the Cong to Galway race – Galway Hooker Sailing Club, Galway City Sailing Club, Corrib Rowing & Yachting Club, Galway Bay Sailing Club and Spiddal Sailing Club.
The course, which is about 30 nautical miles in total, follows the old steamer route from Lisloughrey pier near Cong in Mayo to Galway city. The race start is near Ashford Castle at the northern end of the lake.
It is raced as two legs with the first leg finishing at Kilbeg while the second leg is via a narrower channel in the lower lake and on to the river, finishing at Corrib Village.
People are invited to watch the race and along the shores at a number of viewing points.
Some of the best are along the river by Dangan and the Quincentennial Bridge where people can see many of the sailing dinghies having to capsize to fit under the bridge and the Hookers have to be ready to drop their masts and hoist them again once they are under the bridge.
