19:00, Thursday 24th July 2025, Lipsi, Greece.
The H.O.R.C. Race Committee given the “no wind at all” conditions all day around Syros on Tuesday, decided to shorten Leg 2 to Lipsi by laying the Start line at Rinia island (next to Dilos and Mykonos) and by doing so the initial 92 miles became 74. The competing fleet travelled under engine for about 5 hours to reach Rinia and the Start gun fired at 16:00. OPTIMUM 4 pushed hard all the way for 20+ hours managing a 5th place as it felt victim to a wind trap south of Patmos that allowed the faster boats to reach Lipsi and close the wind door. Team OPTIMUM members had a good rest and were in full fighting mode for the Lipsi Mercedes Cup 15-mile coastal race on Thursday, this time posting another 5th place with only one minute from second place on corrected time.
“We could have easily score second today but we fell short by one minute after three and a half hours of racing! The guys were on fire, and we had a good race until the running backstay soft shackle slipped under load with the Code 0 up on the final mile reach to the finish line. We had to bear away, roll Code 0, hoist the Jib and limp to the finish line and were denied 2nd place. It would have helped to score another podium finish in order to forget the very slow Leg 2 race that really tested our patience”, says newcomer Leonidas Sechou.
OPTIMUM 4 Team members look forward to push as best as they can in final Leg 4 tomorrow, in order to post another podium finish and hope for a miracle to reach the podium. Local prizegiving ceremony in Lipsi tonight at 21:00 for Leg 2 & 3 and a good rest to fight for 92 miles to Syrow on a full on “meltemi” expected to gust 30+ all day Friday. Stay Tuned!!!