With Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds, proving to be the crews' greatest ally in their effort to complete 600 non-stop nautical miles across the Aegean Sea, the 71 yachts competing in the 6th AEGEAN 600 set sail on Sunday, July 5, against the spectacular backdrop of the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
This year's start delivered breathtaking images, enjoyed both by the spectators gathered around the historic temple and by sailing enthusiasts following the race through the event's social media channels. For more than two hours, the racing yachts, propelled by strong northeasterly winds of 20 to 25 knots, filled the racecourse with excitement and adrenaline, creating spectacular scenes that once again showcased Greece to audiences around the world.
"Greece continues to demonstrate that it is capable of hosting major sporting events and delivering them with absolute success. Today, however, we are not talking about just another sporting event. We are talking about a global sporting event that transcends the geographical boundaries of sport and carries national significance," said the Greek Minister of Sports, Mr. Giannis Vroutsis, shortly before officially starting the international race.
"The world's finest crews, outstanding Greek yachts, Mr. Prokopiou's AIOLOS, under the leadership of the event's Commodore, Mr. Ioannis Maragkoudakis, will sail across our beautiful Greek islands throughout the Aegean. We are proud of this race. Every summer, crews from around the world eagerly look forward to competing here," Mr. Vroutsis concluded.
During his visit to Olympic Marine, the Minister also had the opportunity to meet and speak with Olympic medallists Panagiotis Mantis and Pavlos Kagialis aboard the yacht AIOLOS.
Once again, the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC), together with co-organizers the Region of Attica and Olympic Marine, and with Rolex serving as the Official Timepiece of the event, organized a spectacular sailing celebration in the Aegean for the more than 700 sailors participating in this year's race.
"Greece celebrates every day in the Aegean, the cradle of our history and prosperity. Aeolus, the God of the Winds, has generously blessed us with these strong winds, and we will all be tested in this race of endurance and speed. This is my third participation in the AEGEAN 600, and I hope we will once again achieve an outstanding result. This year's race is especially meaningful to me because this morning I welcomed my eleventh grandchild," said Olympic Marine owner and AEGEAN 600 co-organizer Mr. George Prokopiou with a broad smile.
For his part, Mr. Ioannis Maragkoudakis, Chairman of the AEGEAN 600 Organizing Committee and President of the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club, thanked Mr. Vroutsis "for both his moral and practical support of the race," as well as Mr. Prokopiou "for making Olympic Marine's facilities available to host the more than 700 sailors participating in this year's event."
The Course of the 71 Yachts
After starting beneath the iconic Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, the fleet set course for Milos. From there, the yachts will sail through the spectacular Caldera of Santorini before continuing south towards Kasos. Leaving Karpathos to port, they will pass Rhodes, Kandelioussa, Kos, Kalymnos, Farmakonisi, Agathonisi and Patmos.
The fleet will then cross the Ikarian Sea, sail between Mykonos and Delos and, after passing Gyaros and Kea, return to Cape Sounion for the finish.
The total distance is approximately 605 nautical miles, and the course has been designed "by sailors, for sailors", with the aim of showcasing and promoting Greece's exceptional offshore sailing grounds.
It is a demanding and technically challenging route that passes by 23 islands throughout the Aegean Sea and is widely regarded as one of the most exciting offshore sailing courses in the world.
Despite the intensity of the competition, the race is renowned for its unique spirit of camaraderie among crews, breathtaking scenery and the genuine Greek hospitality enjoyed by participants both before and after the race at Olympic Marine in Lavrion.
The curtain will fall on the 6th AEGEAN 600 with the Closing Ceremony, to be held at the Lavrion Technological & Cultural Park on Saturday, July 13, at 21:00.
For more information, visit:
www.aegean600.com
ROLEX – Official Timepiece of the Event
Rolex has long been associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision, the relentless pursuit of perfection and true team spirit.
For the third consecutive year, Rolex will proudly support the AEGEAN 600 as the Official Timepiece of the event.
The AEGEAN 600 is one of the prestigious 600-nautical-mile offshore races supported by Rolex, forming part of the brand's 71-year relationship with the sport of sailing.
Competing crews face the thrilling challenges and unique characteristics of this race, much like those encountered in the legendary Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Rolex Fastnet Race, and Rolex Middle Sea Race.
There is a natural affinity between Rolex and international offshore yacht racing, where plotting a successful course requires unwavering commitment, extensive experience and sharp intuition to cope with constantly changing winds, powerful currents and demanding sea conditions.
Covering 600 nautical miles, the course embraces much of the Aegean Sea, offering competitors one of the world's most spectacular offshore sailing experiences.
The AEGEAN 600 also ranks among the offshore races with the highest number of foreign-flagged entries, a fact that significantly enhances Greece's international profile as a premier sailing destination.
The AEGEAN 600 is organized by the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC), in co-organization with the Region of Attica and Olympic Marine, with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, the Deputy Ministry of Sports, and the General Secretariat of Sports.
For the third consecutive year, ROLEX serves as the Official Timepiece of the event.
The race is sponsored by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and KORONAKIS, one of the world's leading manufacturers of synthetic ropes and wire ropes.
Supporting partners include the International Maxi Association (IMA), the construction company KERAMEIKOS–ATHINAI, Pantaenius, the international yacht insurance specialist, Technohull, manufacturer of high-performance RIBs and composite boats, and X-Yachting, a yacht charter company.
Mercedes-Benz is the Official Mobility Partner of the event.
The Aegean Yacht Club, based at Olympic Marine, is the event's collaborating yacht club.
Official suppliers are Torqeedo electric outboard motors, empowered by Yamaha, Helly Hansen, and Dole bananas.
Media partners include SKAI TV, the event's official television broadcaster, and the newspaper Kathimerini. Additional media partners are the magazines Skipper ONDECK, The YachtBook, Boats & Yachting Guide, Athens Riviera Journal, and Istioploikos Kosmos (Sailing World).
Interad is the Official Internet Services Partner of the event.
Editorial note
Για δημοσίευση σε διεθνή ΜΜΕ ή για αποστολή σε διεθνείς ιστιοπλοϊκές ιστοσελίδες, θα πρότεινα μερικές μικρές βελτιώσεις στη διατύπωση (όπως χρησιμοποιεί η World Sailing και η Rolex στα δικά τους δελτία), ώστε το κείμενο να ακούγεται σαν να έχει γραφτεί εξαρχής στα αγγλικά και όχι ως μετάφραση. Αυτό θα δώσει ένα πιο φυσικό και επαγγελματικό αποτέλεσμα για διεθνή χρήση.
