As it stands from the Optimum Racing Schedule the Team races again in mid-September in Faliron Bay, a weekend packed with competitive windward/leeward races around cans for the Athens Circuit Trophy, Hydra Race in late October and the Winter Series in all 4 Sundays of November.
However, the immense performance achieved and the records Team OPTIMUM broke during the 50th Aegean Rally in late July, proved good food for thought and an alternative racing schedule is considered subject to….
“We are astonished with the effect that the switch from spinnaker poles to bowsprit and new XXL asymmetric spinnakers had on the performance of OPTIMUM 3 but more importantly on the Team psychology and spirit. Please remember that we are talking about an amateur sports sailing team established in 1994 that progressed internationally based on passion for competitive sailing and financed mainly through sponsorship. I guess it is this passion that drives us all to be the only team globally to campaign an all carbon 52-footer with international successes on a shoe-string budget doing all maintenance and preparation work ourselves as part of team spirit building and team ethics. So, although the goal for 2013 was to win the Anniversary 50th Aegean Rally [and we did so by winning 1st place in all 5 races (5-0) and recorded top speed 29,9 knots which was never achieved before in the 50 year history of the Aegean Rally] it is clear that we are on a roll and we should go for the “double”, like we achieved in 2004! Back then, we won the Aegean Rally and went in Malta only to win the Rolex Middle Sea Race and become the first Greek Team ever to win the toughest and longest regatta in the Mediterranean! Last year, we made the trip to Malta and achieved 4th in IRC and 1st in ORCi, knowing that we were lacking performance downwind, but this year with the bowsprit and the 3 new 300 sqm spinnakers, we feel solid like a rock and hungry for international success! So, the hardware and personnel are on top form but our finance limit us within Greek borders. 10.000 euros is the budget for Malta and will leave no stone unturned until September 10th to secure it from sponsorship” declares Optimum Team co-leader Pericles Livas from Porto Hydra where he is supposedly on family vacation…