Athens, Monday, May 18th, 2015, 10:00.
The past weekend was the third consecutive that OPTIMUM Yacht Racing Team campaigned hard, logging so far in no fewer than 13 individual races in the 2015 season. The OPTIMUM Team rolls nicely into its 22nd season and on Saturday scored a bullet during the 30-mile coastal “Patroklos Race” organized by Nautical Club Voula. On Sunday, OPTIMUM 3-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK did not repeat Saturday’s success and had to settle with a score of 9 and 8 on the two Windward/Leeward 6-mile courses set by the Race Committee. On Saturday the breeze was from the SSE and top wind speed recorded was 13 knots. On Sunday, it went more southerly and lighter never exceeding 10 knots.
“Although we tried our best both days the results don’t show it. On Saturday, we jump started perfectly, tacked a minute or two later, and controlled the race to Patroklos island holding always the right side of the 15 mile upwind course. On the downwind return to Voula, we sailed smart and efficiently allowing main rival Bullet TP52 to pass but not extend more than the handicap time under ORCi system and enjoyed our first win for the season with a margin 2’48” on almost 4 hours of racing. Sunday was a light and patchy wind affair and OPTIMUM 3-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK suffered from average starts that allowed limited tactical choices to our afterguard in both races. The crew performed well, lessons learned and we just need to swallow a 9, 8 score that left us trailing in 10th place overall for the day. I pull the “Mixed Salad” flag for this third racing weekend and look forward for more action in 14 days” comments valuable team member and pitman Nikos Apostolakis. (For the record Bullet vs Optimum stands at 5-8)
Sponsors ASPIDA and SAXOBANK showed off their colors along the Attica coast from Voula up to almost Sounio and back on Saturday and all day long on Sunday inshore in the gulf between Voula and Kavouri. The crew line-up included Alexandros Sofroniadis, Gary Gabri, Stratis Tsamparlis, Giannis Kapos, George Hatzigeorgiou, Nikos Apostolakis, Alexis Chrysochoides, Kostas Makridis, Manolis Markogiannakis, George Kyragiannis, Tassos Dikastopoulos, Patroklos Tachtatzis, Lambros Nakis, Manos Roudas, Periklis Livas, Nikos Lazos in total on both days.
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