Ancient Greek Gods of the Sea and the Wind, Poseidon and Aeolus respectively, delivered their best today for the POSSIDONIA CUP Race hosted biannually by Hellenic Offshore Racing Club as a side event of POSSIDONIA – International Shipping Exhibition. 30+ knots of wind and heavy seas greeted the fleet of top racing yachts just in front of Piraeus fighting for success in this top quality event. Given the rocking conditions, the 15-mile coastal race proved to be a testing ground for all yachts and crews chartered or belonging to companies that are exhibitors or participants at POSSIDONIA. As such, OPTIMUM Yacht Racing Team sponsored by ASPIDA Maritime Security for 3rd year in a row was invited to compete as ASPIDA is an exhibitor at POSSIDONIA and leader in Maritime Security Services in the Shipping industry.
OPTIMUM-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK scored 3rd place in the performance division and was on the podium a while ago, in the mostly anticipated prize giving ceremony of the year at the reception in magnificent Vouliagmeni Lake. ASPIDA and SAXOBANK representatives were among the 1000 people invited to the ceremony and Team OPTIMUM felt proud for their achievement and happy to deliver to their sponsors.
“Blasting conditions in great sunshine prevailed today, keeping our hands full and pushing OPTIMUM-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK close to the limit under full mainsail and J4 in 30+ knots of wind from the West. The team performed brilliantly in the testing conditions and the feeling is that the OPTIMUM Team improves steadily to reach top form soon. If we didn’t have a problem in the electronics at the first half of the race we would have identified the 1st turning mark easier and probably win the race, but this is sport, isn’t it…?” questions a smiling Panos Moraitis, Head of ASPIDA Maritime Security and co-skipper for today’s race.
OPTIMUM-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK crew line-up for the POSSIDONIA CUP Race ended up to be Alexandros Sofroniadis, Alexander Maroungas, George Hatzigeorgiou, Lambros Nakis, Nikos Apostolakis, George Eliopoulos , Kostas Makridis, Manolis Markogiannakis, Alexis Chrysochoides, Gerasimos Petratos, Patroklos Tachtatzis, Manos Roudas, Nikos Lazos, Periklis Livas and Panos Moraitis.
The title of Most Valuable Crew (MVC) for the day goes to mast/media man George Eliopoulos for top performing as mastman and at the same time capturing (under great pressure from the rest of us) with his cameras all the action onboard and around at a quality that 1000 guests enjoyed a while ago at the large TV screens during the reception making all of OPTIMUM Team members and sponsors ASPIDA and SAXOBANK really proud!!!