Departure day, which coincided with the 65th anniversary of D-day, like much of this 2008-09 race, belonged to Ericsson 4 as Torben Grael’s troops seized early control of Leg 8.
But with five hours wiped off the clock, Ericsson 4 found itself in a skirmish with Green Dragon, revelling in the fast going, as the fleet powered towards the next significant landmark on this passage – Fastnet Rock, the lighthouse off the southern coast of Ireland.
The seven boats must leave the Fastnet to starboard before heading across the Irish Sea to the English Channel.
By the 19:00 GMT Position Report, the leaderboard had the Dragon a mile ahead of Ericsson 4. Those familiar foes, PUMA (+1 mile Distance To Leader) and Telefonica Blue (+2) were engaged in their usual hand-to-hand combat.
After the top four, on the leadboard at least, the order read ... Ericsson 3 and Delta Lloyd, taking the coastal route, both +3. Telefonica Black, the northern-most boat, had problems with a kite early on and was seven miles off the leaders.
The forecast for the initial stages of this 1,250-mile passage from Galway to Mastrand/Gothenburg is for heavy air running, an opportunity for PUMA to flex her muscles, according to Media Crew Member Rick Deppe.
"It’s going to be game on, and in fact right now only two hours after the start we are already in a tight gybing duel with the fleet as we run down the coast of Ireland,” he wrote.
"Downwind starts are always fun and today was no exception, with a nice 20 knot breeze and flat water the massive crowds here in Galway were given quite a treat as the fleet blasted across the start line like a bunch of thoroughbreds, then a quick loop of the bay before heading out between the cliffs and the Aaran Islands.”
Meanwhile, the crowd numbers for the fortnight of the stopover are in. They make impressive reading. Up to 8,000 people turned up in the middle of the night as the fleet arrived with a further flotilla of 500 on the water. “I don’t think I have ever seen anything quite like it,” said Ian Moore at the time.
The in-port race last weekend drew 62,000 people to the race village alone. Failte Ireland, the national tourism board, predicted that 200,000 people would visit the race village while the race was in town. Figures released today show that an estimated 420,000 people attended.
It’s a similar story on economic impact. A report ahead of the race forecasted that the city would be boosted to the tune of 43 million euros, but Failte Ireland have since estimated the income at 100 million euros.
From the crews, there has been high praise all round for Galway for a job well done.
Green Dragon skipper Ian Walker led the tributes. “When I saw the welcome we received on arriving in Galway I was speechless but when we left two weeks’ later it was with tears in my eyes,” he said.
"I knew Galway was a great city and a city that loves to party but never in my wildest dreams did I think Galway and Ireland would take so much to the Volvo Ocean Race.
"Today we had a spectacular start. There were once again hundreds of spectator boats and a 'Cup final' atmosphere on the water. What fantastic memories we have of Galway Bay and I look forward to returning soon. Thank you Ireland, thank you Galway.”
On behalf of PUMA, Deppe added: “Galway deserves a great deal from us because for the two weeks since we arrived they’ve put on a brilliant show.
"To say its been a party would be an understatement – the statistics for foot traffic through Galway and the race village are truly staggering. What a great model for an ideal stopover, and I’m sure that Galway is one that the race organizers will be taking into serious consideration as the race moves forward and re-invents itself.”
Ever the historian, Deppe signed off with a reference to the D-Day landings, when thousands of allied troops began the liberation of Europe. “Winston Churchill once said ‘this is not the beginning, this is not the end, this is the beginning of the end’.
"I can’t think of a more perfect way to describe our position here in the race between now and the finish (of the race).”