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"We should grab yacht race
benefits" - Farren
06.09.10
INISHOWEN'S Labour
councillor Martin Farren has called on the peninsula
to prepare to "grab the opportunities" from Derry’s
successful bid to host a prestigious round-the-world
yacht race in 2012.
The Clipper Challenge Race will involve ten 68 foot
yachts competing in the world’s longest
round-the-world sailing event, over 40,000 miles and
taking 11 months.
Each of the 10 boats will be named after a host city
and will have a volunteer crew of 17 in each of the
9 legs of the race.
Derry will be sponsoring one of the boats and will
be hosting the end of the 8th leg, from Canada to
Ireland, with the boats due to arrive in Derry in
July 2012. The final leg will start from the Foyle.
A typical race finish attracts 100,000 spectators
and a race start could attract 150,000. Derry, and
the Foyle, could attract between 100 to150 visiting
spectator yachts for the event. |
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Cork finish in 1st place in race 3
from Rio De Janeiro to Cape Town in the 2009-10
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. Photo: Clipper Ventures
PLC. |
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Independently audited
figures for the 2009/2010 Clipper Race showed that
the start of the race in Hull generated £9.3 million
for the region. Cape Breton estimated benefits of
well over $1 million. Figures for Cork and Kinsale
are not yet available but the event there was the
catalyst for a week of festivals which greatly
benefited the local economy. |
Cllr Farren said
Inishowen was ideally situated to benefit from this
major event.
He called on local tourism providers and others to
get involved in preparations as soon as possible.
"The finish of one leg, a week long festival in
Derry and the start of the next in Lough Foyle
provides a unique opportunity for Inishowen," said
Cllr Farren.
"The fact that the leg to Derry will start in
Eastern Canada is another unique opportunity given
the strong links that have already been forged with
that area by LEADER, Inishowen Development |
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Councillor Martin Farren |
Partnership and the
Maritime Museum in Greencastle. These links should
give Inishowen Tourism an opportunity to promote
Inishowen in a part of Canada with strong historical
links to Donegal and the North West."
He said while 2012 sounded like a long way of, he
urged anyone interested to start making preparations
as soon as possible.
Councillor Farren added that the Clipper Race also
gives the opportunity for local people to actually
sail on the yachts for a leg of the race. More
information for prospective participants will be
launched in Derry this month. |
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