Ericsson 4 set to blaze a trail into Galway

The Galway Blazers were to be given a whole new meaning overnight as final touches were put to a plan to light a chain of traditional welcoming bonfires for the seven yachts completing the 2,600-mile seventh leg from Boston of the Volvo round the world race.

The Blazers are one of the most famous fox hunting groups, but it fell to a Nicola Hampson to set off a chain of 17 bonfires, starting on the Aran Islands, all around Galway Bay headlands and cliffs. The custom echoes the celebrations for a bride on the route to her wedding and each of the 17 was being supported by local groups or businesses, including a local potato farmer.

Once in the harbour a group of Irish Bodhran drummers was to provide the pontoon welcome, along with some hearty Irish food prepared by top chef Maurice Keller and some pyrotechnics supplied by a troop rejoicing in the title of the Black Powder Monkeys.

Which was all very well, except the lead drummer, Johnny Donnelly of Saw Doctors fame, was on all-night standby as the yachts battled the last few miles in continuing strong breezes that had made for fast progress on the second half of the leg.

As were the crews on the yachts. Tightest of the battles was between second-placed American entry Puma, skippered by Kenny Read, and the local heroes on Green Dragon, being skippered back to their home port by double silver Olympic medallist Ian Walker.

It is never over until it is over, but the Dragons looked set to score their first clear cut podium place on what, for them, is the most important leg. And, if the gods were on their side, that could even be second.

Out front and lining up its fourth leg win was overall leader Ericsson 4, with Torben Grael looking as imperious as ever.

But, at the other end, leg five winner Ericsson 3, skippered by the veteran Magnus Olsson, was struggling in seventh with pumping out unwanted leakage following a collision with a whale which damaged the keel housing.

All seven were expected to arrive within four or five hours of each other. Sunday lunch beckoned.