Aegean Rally unfurls its sails on July 16

The 53rd Aegean Rally will set sail in the archipelago lauded by poets on Saturday, July 16. The country’s most important and historic offshore regatta will start out from Faliro Bay on Athens’s southern coast and stop by two islands – Patmos and Milos – bringing a much-needed boost to their economies. The competitive part of the race will end on Saturday, July 23, at the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio.

This promises to be an exciting event showcasing the sailors’ skills and their crafts’ potential, as the organizer, the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC), has been able to extend the regatta’s scope after overcoming the obstacles raised by the introduction of capital controls that forced it to limit the race to the Saronic Gulf last summer.

HORC president Ioannis Maragoudakis sailed the route earlier this month to ensure that everything is set for an event that will live up to the institution’s history. “I sailed the entire course because I wanted to make sure that nothing has been overlooked, not even the smallest detail. The participants will be happy. The route requires a high level of skill and the sailors will test their strengths,” Maragoudakis says.

“The local authorities have also lent their support to the event and both Patmos and Milos will be hosting events to entertain the participants as well as teach them about the traditions and customs of our islands,” he adds.

The Aegean Rally was launched in 1964 and is the oldest open-sea sailing event in the country, bringing together Olympians and world champions from around the world.