Volissos, Chios Island after race1 of 59th Aegean Rally, 12 June 2022.
Photo: Nikos Alevromytis
Team OPTIMUM-Samos Steamship competes for 28th time in the 29 years that Team OPTIMUM exists, in the Aegean Rally. Organized by H.O.R.C, the 59th edition proves that it is oldest offshore event in the Med. Beyond any doubt it is through these repeated participations in the lengthy and tough Aegean Rally that Team OPTIMUM has reached this level of experience, is capable to perform in any conditions and reach the podium more often than not. In its 59 year history, it always offers a different course of about 300 miles with various different island stopovers every year, which is exactly what makes this race unique and never boring. This year the race visits Chios’s island western port Volissos only, that will also facilitate the start and finish of two more races mid week. Cape Sounio to Chios and back add two more races and a total of 304 miles. Being away from Saturday to Saturday is a huge time investment nowadays for the competing crews so entries decreased over the years from record 86 in the 1980s to 10 this year.
“This year the Aegean Rally is of huge importance for Team OPTIMUM-Samos Steamship as it will serve as valuable testing and learning ground for our new race boat OPTIMUM S. Our new Carkeek 47 Grand Prix was a totally unknown in the open sea before the start in Cape Sounio on Saturday. We managed to take line honors in Chios and settle in 4th place on the handicap standings. In our 12+ hour dash to Chios island, we added valuable credits to the OPTIMUM S learning process. This new generation race boat continues to amaze us and we are challenged to find her limits”, says Team OPTIMUM long time member Lambros Nakis.
The 12 crew lineup for the 59th Aegean Rally will include many changes during the four races in an effort to give the chance to many Team OPTIMUM members to feel the boat in the open sea ahead of the AEGEAN 600. As such the total lineup includes Vaggelis Nikolopoulos, Christos Stathas, Giorgos Kouklakis-Papadopoulos, Anna Agrafioti OLY, Nikos Apostolakis, Periklis Livas, Yorgos Eliopoulos, Apostolos Serraos, Kostas Makridis, Fanis Dalezios, Manolis Markogiannakis, Giannis Kavallaris, Patroklos Tahtatzis, Evi Dellidou, Oddyseas Kantas and Nikos Lazos.
Samos Steamship have been providing their full support in this year’s demanding schedule and steep learning process, offering Team OPTIMUM valuable procedure know how on commissioning new vessels. The OPTIMUM-Samos Steamship goes from strength to strength with full OPTIMUM spirit.
Five days to go, stay tuned!