21:00, Wednesday 1st of February 2023, Alimos, Greece.
As the New Year arrived, the 30th Team OPTIMUM season is a reality.
There are few offshore sailing teams around the world that reach the 30-year point of uninterrupted competitive seasons full of achievements. The exciting part is the promising future lying ahead. During the annual Pita Ceremony, it was clear that the 30+ Team Optimum members strong turnout at the hospitable Samos Steamship premises were devoted and passionate. Mr. John Inglessis of Samos Steamship confirmed his Team Optimum “adoption” in the years to come and was hugely supportive for the tough past season that the Team went through due to technical issues. We have learned from it and we are set for a full on anniversary season. In addition, Mr. Konstantinos Paleologos from Dimitriadis S.A. was present and announced that HELLY HANSEN will be the apparel sponsor on Team OPTIMUM for the next two years.
“Each and every Team OPTIMUM member, supporter and sponsor has chipped in to arrive in this milestone 30th season stronger than ever before.
Only last season the Team acquired a challenging super modern carbon race boat, the Carkeek 47 Grand Prix, OPTIMUM S. Also, Team members acquired three Dehler 30 ods, AETHER, LAVORO III and OPTIMUM 4 initiating OPTIMUM Sailing Academy and attracting new talent to the team. There is great enthusiasm for the season, we have an extended racing and training program and we will work hard to put on a good fight. If we manage to do so, the past has proven that the good results will follow. Long live the OPTIMUM Spirit, let the season commence”, shares Team OPTIMUM crew boss Nikos Apostolakis.
The plan is to complete all maintenance and updates by early March and hit the water to train for the first race of the season, the 50th Hydra Race in the end of March. From then on we have a solid racing and training schedule that will allow us to obtain peak performance in the Aegean 600 in early July, followed by the 60th Aegean Rally. A thorough evaluation will follow to determine our participation in the 44th Rolex Middle Sea Race, and the racing program for the rest of the season will depend on that.
For the record, Team Optimum trimmer/driver Apostolos Serraos got the Pita lucky coin and was awarded a Helly Hansen sports bag. Then Lefteris Grispos, the youngest new member, Vaggelis Karas the oldest and Mily Tirla the new female Team member were awarded a Helly Hansen cap each. The ceremony ended with a top notch food and drinks buffet provided by our host Samos Steamship. The rest of the team members that managed to show up and enjoyed the Pita Ceremony were Fanis Dalezios, George Kyragiannis, Vaggelis Nikolopoulos, Nikos Kountouriotis, Antonis Drilias, Charis Mavrogeorgis, Thanos Papasideris, Anna Agrafioti, Giannis Kapos, Evi Delidou, Gerasimos Petratos, Kostas Ntoufexis, Lambros Nakis, George & Stavros Kouklakis, Patroklos Tachtatzis, Giannis Kavalaris, Kostis Afentakis, Prodromos Petridis, Meletis Paterakis, Fragkiskos Nikolakis, Terri Varvaressos, Periklis Livas and Nikos Lazos.
OPTIMUM Yacht Racing Team turns 30 and aims high.
Stay tuned…!