11:00, Sunday 13th July 2025, Alimos Marina, N.C.Kalamaki, Greece.
The 5th edition of the Aegean 600 Yacht Race concluded last night with a fantastic prizegiving ceremony and is happily added in the achievement list of Team OPTIMUM – Samos Steamship. Team Optimum, in its 32nd season, completed its 13th 600-mile yacht race as a Corinthian sailing team of passionate sailors. Just missing the podium in our class which was our goal, was balanced by the fact that we are happy the way the team performed all the way from the Sunday afternoon start to the Thursday evening finish. The light winds that prevailed from Sunday to Wednesday required total concentration, patience and persistence and the team managed to deliver even in frustrating multiple wind hole situations. We never gave up and the fighting spirit on board remained high and forward looking till the end. So, 4th place in both IRC1 and ORC1 that this year included the maxis too and 18th and 16th overall respectively will be proudly recorded to our books. We are thankful to our longtime supporter Samos Steamship for providing the opportunity to campaign such a thoroughbred race yacht as also to our families and friends for coping with the time devoted away from them for our passion for sailing.
“This 5th edition with mainly very light winds proved very different from previous ones, lengthy, and tested our patience. The new light No1 Quantum Jib and the wind seeker proved valuable weapons on our arsenal, and I believe with a bit of luck we could have finish first in class in place of the friendly team from USA on VARUNA that sailed a remarkable race. The two other Carkeek designs that took 2nd and 3rd were top performers too and really got as motivated to push all the way. When the strong meltemi winds blew on Thursday and toped 43,2 knots in Mykonos, the boat was solid and superfast in close reaching under two reefs and No4 Jib. We had no issues or any sort of equipment failure to hold us back and the team handled nicely the wet ride. Arriving at the finish in Cape Sounion under the Poseidon Temple just before sunset on a golden colored corridor was a very rewarding moment full of joy and satisfaction”, says Team OPTIMUM co-skipper Nikos Lazos.
Team OPTIMUM-Samos Steamship crew lineup in this year’s Aegean 600 included Lefteris Grispos, Thodoris Papakyriakou, Vasilis Kritidis, Nikos Apostolakis, Nikos Kountouriotis, Giannis Kapos, Manolis Markogiannakis, Stavros & George Papadopoulos-Kouklakis, Apostolos Serraos, Charis Piperakis, Nikos Lazos and Periklis Livas. Equally important was the contribution, training and stand by as alternates until the last day, of Team OPTIMUM members Nikos Stavropoulos, Periklis Hoegger-Anemogiannis and George Voutsas.
After concluding cleaning the boat, washing sails, emptying the boat to the container, OPTIMUM S will be moved out of the water as she is dry sailed, as all previous OPTIMUMs, and will be available for viewing by interested parties considering to buy her.