OPTIMUM Base, Kalamaki, Friday June 17th 2015, 22:00.
Up to force 7 winds and seas will greet tomorrow OPTIMUM 3-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK competing in the 52nd Aegean Rally, the top offshore and most challenging event in the Offshore Sailing Calendar in Greece and one of the oldest and toughest in the Mediterranean. This is the 21st time that Team Optimum will be at the start of the Aegean Rally since 1994 that the team was established, having missed only the 1996 edition due to racing in Palma, Spain at Copa Del Rey Sailing Week. In the 20 editions the team participated from 1994 to 2014, OPTIMUMM(36-footer) and OPTIMUM 3(52-footer) has achieved podium positions 16 times, including 7 times 1st, 5 times 2nd and 4 times 3rd.
“Boots or shoes is the choice that every Optimum member has to make for the 122-mile offshore race from Faliro Bay to Parapola Rock and back to the finish line in Vouliagmeni. Due to the political and economical crisis in Greece, this year’s Aegean Rally edition has no island stopovers over 10 days but a linier schedule of 4 offshore races over two weekends starting and finishing in the Athens area with a burst into the Aegean Sea. As such, to minimize weight, each of our 15-strong crew can get along only what they wear, and the forecast of force 7 winds going downwind to Parapola and then upwind in Vouliagmeni in a pitch black night presents a tricky call of what gear to select. Tricky too will be how hard we will push gear and people in the tough conditions expected. Push hard and you break things, push light and your competition jumps on you. Optimum push is the way to go and that’s what we will hopefully excel at. The other issue on board OPTIMUM 3-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK is the appearance of a young and promising female sailor sharing helming duties with skipper Pericles Livas. That’s a rare call for well known Men Only OPTIMUM Team but she is a tough one and she kindly asked to join. Could we have denied…?” questions Optimum grinder/media man George Kyragiannis.
OPTIMUM 3 sponsored by ASPIDA Maritime Security for fourth consecutive year and SAXO BANK second year around is as strong as ever. The team had a good build up season, posting excellent results in the 23 races so far, stealing podium positions in many cases. But the big one starts tomorrow Saturday 18that 11:00. Stay tuned to find out how things worked out with a princess on board OPTIMUM 3-ASPIDA- SAXOBANK!