Hometown boat, Green Dragon, made a fantastic start today as the Volvo Ocean Race fleet left Galway Bay on the 1250 nm sprint leg to Marstrand in Sweden.  It was a great reward for the huge crowds of well-wishers, who filled every available space in Galway in order to cheer their home team on.

After a hugely successful stopover – the first time the Volvo Ocean Race has visited Ireland – 20 knots of gusty offshore breeze was on offer today and, in the most wind yet for any of the Volvo leg starts, spinnakers were set for a fast downwind start at 1500 local time (1400 GMT).

The fleet sailed the usual two leg loop of approximately four nautical miles, before setting off through the Aran Islands and down the west coast of Ireland and out into the Celtic Sea towards the Fastnet Rock, which although a mark of the course, is not a scoring gate.

Ian Walker’s Green Dragon revelled in the heavy breeze and flat water, which suited her perfectly and once clear of the start line, she overhauled Telefónica Black doing 19 knots, to take the lead at the first turning mark. 

Sailing beautifully, starting in mid-field, Ericsson 4 out-muscled Telefónica Blue and fought off Green Dragon to take the lead after rounding the mark in second place and setting off up the beat towards the windward mark.

At the mark, Ericsson 4 had taken control and hoisted her spinnaker for the second time, followed by Green Dragon who kept the pressure on, Telefonica Blue, PUMA and Telefónica Black.  Further back were Ericsson 3 and Delta Lloyd.

Telefónica Blue momentarily lost ground to PUMA when her spinnaker hoisted with a twist in it as the fleet blazed down Galway Bay with an increasing breeze and a building sea state and headed towards the Aran Islands.   

Today saw a great display by Ericsson 4, but what a performance by Ian Walker and his men on Green Dragon, ensuring that the hometown crowds had a lot to cheer about, and a terrific battle for third between Telefónica Blue and PUMA.

The game changes now for this largely coastal leg of 1250 nm, full of shipping, tidal gates, shallows and sandbanks.  The course takes the fleet south around the UK, up the English Channel and out into the North Sea, where they will race around a loop set off the Hook of Holland before heading to the finish in Marstrand, Sweden on or around 11 June.

Overall Leaderboard
1. Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA): 94.0 points
2. Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED): 81.0 points
3. PUMA (Ken Read/USA): 80.0 points
4. Ericsson 3 (Magnus Olsson/SWE): 62.5 points
5. Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR): 53.0 points
6. Telefónica Black (Fernando Echávarri/ESP): 39.0
7. Delta Lloyd (Roberto Bermudez/ESP): 31.0 points
8. Team Russia (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT): 10.5 points

Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DNS