In 1981 Stamatis Lazos brought MARVIN to Greece, a brand new 34-footer Dehler DB1 3/4 ton IOR cruiser-racer. Its appearance and rigging was so advanced by the standards of its time that, as moored in Alimos Marina, it instantly attracted attention of 16-year old young Pericles Livas, a 420 athlete-sailor of N.C.Kalamaki. Parties met together pretty soon and the yacht was race-sailed by Stamatis Lazos, his 14 year old son Nikos, Nikos Stavropoulos, Stathis Mihailidis, Leonidas Markopoulos, Pericles Livas, Antonis and Nikos Nikolopoulos, Yiannis Kakitsis and other athletes of N.C. Kalamaki.
Time went by fast and Stamatis Lazos encouraged in every way the steadily developing friendship and common love for sailing between his son Nikos and Pericles Livas. A broken mast on a windy Andros race in 1983 and a serious collision during Hydra race in October 1984 led to the replacement in 1985 of MARVIN with MARVIN AGAIN, an updated 34-footer Dehler DB2 ¾ Ton. With MARVIN AGAIN, father to all Stamatis Lazos grants more and more initiative to his son Nikos and his inseparable friend Pericles Livas. Highlight of his trust was in 1989, before the 3/4 ton World Championship in Greece when he informs them that himself will not participate in the event and it is the opportunity for them to show “what they’re made of” that resulted in 7thOverall, 1st in Series-Produced Yachts, 1st amateur crew and the youngest skippers of the World Championship, Nikos Lazos 22 yr old, Pericles Livas 24 yr old.
The duo temporarily splits due to studies and military service and in 1992 they are back together with DON QUIXOTE IV, a very popular vessel by her results in the 1/2 Ton IOR class. This yacht, a gift of Ritchie Frances to Pericles Livas, for two years (1992-1993) takes it all in every race she enters. This success of re-introducing a yacht that was left out on the hard for 9 years bonds the duo Livas – Lazos back and they feel potent to form OPTIMUM YACHT RACING TEAM.
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In 1994, the duo purchases the hot boat of that era, the Mumm 36 One Design“OPTIMUMM” (Optimum Mumm) and OPTIMUM Yacht Racing Team is realized. For the next 9 years Team OPTIMUMM is on the podium in every Aegean Rally and on the top spot in 1995,1997,1999 & 2001 missing only the 1996 edition due to the successful tour of the European Mumm 36 Championship in Belgium, Holland, France, Spain and Italy. Under the guidance of pro Brit coach Eddie Warden Owen the team managed 5th overall and 2nd in the driver owner standings. This European tour happened due to the merger with Karolos Kioseoglou, owner of the other greek Mumm 36 and the ability to train in Greece on board OPTIMUMM and race abroad with IVANHOE V. For 1997-1998 the team owned also and campaigned internationally OPTIMUMM 2, a Mumm 30 One Design scoring 7th in the 1997 Mumm 30 World Championship in France and 8th in the 1998 Mumm 30 European Championship in Italy.
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OPTIMUM YACHT RACING TEAM senses the sign of the times, utilizes its in-depth experience and reaches the radical decision of inviting its members to a new era in off-shore sailing: BIG BOAT SAILING!
OPTIMUM 3 (ex. Chessie Racing), the team’s new full carbon yacht, a FARR 52 One Design, arrived from Annapolis USA early February of 2003. There has never been in Greece a yacht so technologically advanced and fast in offshore sailing before. The challenge for OPTIMUM Yacht Racing Team was greater than ever! A crew of 15 men, incredible forces and rigging strains, asymmetrical masthead spinnakers 300 sqm, new handling techniques that had to be comprehended and deployed immediately in order to avoid injury and material damage of great cost.
A year later from arrival, Team OPTIMUM wins the Aegean Rally yet again and few months after ATHENS 2004, with Eddie Owen on board, becomes the first ever Greek Team to win the hardest offshore Mediterranean event “ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE” overall under both IMS and IRC handicap Rules that starts and finishes in Malta after 607 hard fought miles. In the Greek racing scene rarely finishes off the podium and attracts an array of satisfied sponsors. International successes include 5th place overall and 1st place in the Corinthians(amateurs) at the 2008 ORCi WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, 4th in IRC and 1st in ORCi overall in 2012 ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE and 9th in 2016 ORCi EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP. Most recent international success was enjoyed in 2018 in the 50th ROLEX Middle Sea Race anniversary where Team OPTIMUM managed 7th overall and 1st in IRC Class 2 out of 130 yachts from 30 countries.
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However, the most important asset within Team OPTIMUM is the culture of hard working sailing enthusiasts that put the time and effort to break new grounds and records and deliver top results for more than 25 years. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose; but having the respect of your competitors and race organizers locally and internationally is our hard won prize.
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Length: 15,85 m plus 2.05 m Bowsprit
Width: 4,50 m
Depth: 3,25 m
Material: Carbon
Mast Height: 26,50 m
Mainsai l Area: 105 sqm
Jib Area: 68 sqm
Spinnaker area: 300 sqm
Max. Speed under engine: 9 knots
Max. Speed under sail: 33,4 Knots (Middle Sea Race 2004)
Crew required to race: 15 trained sailors
Club: Nautical Club Kalamaki
Home Port: Alimos Marina, Athens Greece.
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1994 OPTIMUMM 31st AEGEAN RALLY UNISOFT 2nd
1995 OPTIMUMM 32nd AEGEAN RALLY PARKER 1st
1996 IVANHOE V EUROPEAN CHAMRIONSHIP ROCA 5th
1997 OPTIMUMM 34th AEGEAN RALLY PETROGAZ 1st
« OPTIMUMM 2 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, FRANCE SUPERFAST FERRIES 7th
1998 OPTIMUMM 35th AEGEAN RALLY WASH & GO 2nd
« OPTIMUMM 2 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP, ITALY MURPHY & NYE 8th
1999 OPTIMUMM 36th AEGEAN RALLY WASH & GO 1st
2000 OPTIMUMM 37th AEGEAN RALLY WASH & GO 3rd
2001 OPTIMUMM 38th AEGEANA RALLY WASH & GO 1st
2002 OPTIMUMM 39th AEGEAN RALLY WASH & GO 2nd
2003 OPTIMUM 3 40th AEGEAN RALLY WASH & GO 11th
« OPTIMUM 3 24th ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE, MALTA WASH & GO 12th
2004 OPTIMUM 3 41st AEGEAN RALLY WASH & GO 1st
« OPTIMUM 3 25th ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE, MALTA WASH & GO 1st
2005 OPTIMUM 3 42nd AEGEAN RALLY ETHNIKI INSURANCE 9th
2006 OPTIMUM 3 43rd AEGEAN RALLY SUPERFAST FERRIES 11th
« OPTIMUM 3 27th ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE, MALTA SUPERFAST-AEGEAN-WARTSILA 9th
2007 OPTIMUM 3 44th AEGEAN RALLY SUPERFAST-PIREAUS BANK-ΕΚΟ 3rd
2008 OPTIMUM 3 45th AEGEAN RALLY SUPERFAST – MARFIN – ΕΚΟ 3rd
« OPTIMUM 3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, ATHENS SUPERFAST– MARFIN – ΕΚΟ 5th
2009 OPTIMUM 3 7th ARCHIPELAGO RACE GARMIN 1st
« OPTIMUM 3 46th AEGEAN RALLY GARMIN 1st
2010 OPTIMUM 3 Y.C.G. WEEK 2nd
-//- OPTIMUM 3 47th AEGEAN RALLY ΤHE SMILE OF THE CHILD 2nd
2011 OPTIMUM 3 48th AEGEAN RALLY 4th
-//- OPTIMUM 3 IRC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP & 1st
NORTH AEGEAN RALLY 2011
2012 OPTIMUM 3 49th AEGEAN RALLY ASPIDA Maritime Security 3rd
-//- OPTIMUM 3 33rd ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE, MALTA ASPIDA Maritime Security 4th, 1st
2013 OPTIMUM 3 50th AEGEAN RALLY ASPIDA Maritime Security 1st
2014 OPTIMUM 3 51st AEGEAN RALLY ASPIDA / SAXOBANK 2nd
-//- OPTIMUM 3 35th ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE, MALTA ASPIDA / SAXOBANK 4th, 2nd
2015 OPTIMUM 3 52nd AEGEAN RALLY ASPIDA / SAXOBANK 2nd
2016 OPTIMUM 3 53nd AEGEAN RALLY THENAMARIS / OPTIMISE 1st
-//- OPTIMUM 3 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP, Chalkidiki THENAMARIS / OPTIMISE 9th
2017 OPTIMUM 3 54th AEGEAN RALLY 1st
2018 AFRICANA-Team OPTIMUM 55th AEGEAN RALLY 2nd
-//- OPTIMUM 3 39th ROLEX MIDDLE SEA RACE, MALTA 7th, 1st
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