12:00, Wednesday 10th June 2026, Nautical Club Kalamaki, Athens, Greece.
It has been obvious since the beginning of the season that OPTIMUM Sailing Academy has focused on Double Handed offshore sailing for 2026. O.S.A.’s successful training and racing programs with the identical red and blue Dehler 30ods and the ever increasing popularity of Aegean 600 Yacht Race have attracted the attention of various international teams and sailors in the Greek offshore sailing scene. Knowing early-on that Team OPTIMUM would not compete in the Aegean 600 with their thoroughbred Carkeek 47 OPTIMUM S as she is up for sale, O.S.A.’s resources exploded and were able to screen various proposals, make final choices early, and set a game plan to enter both OPTIMUM 4 and LAVORO III as Double Handers in Aegean 600 starting in July 5th. As such, and about late December Team YO from Israel, Haifa Royal Sailing Club was selected to campaign LAVORO III (blue boat) and execute a four month two-boat gameplan alongside OPTIMUM 4 (red boat), that peaks at Aegean 600 start.
“I first got to know Team OPTIMUM from Greece during the 2012 Rolex Middle Sea Race and met them again in Malta in 2014 while racing double-handed with my brother James. In 2018, James and I joined Team OPTIMUM aboard the Farr 52 OPTIMUM 3 for the 50th Anniversary Rolex Middle Sea Race, which attracted a record 133 entries from 30 countries. Despite operating on a tight budget, the team impressed me with their professionalism, detailed boat preparation, and disciplined training program. The campaign was a great success. We won IRC 2, finished 7th overall in IRC, placed 2nd in ORC 2, and 5th overall in ORC. More importantly, I learned a tremendous amount from the experience. So when I approached Periklis Livas, co-principal of Team OPTIMUM and O.S.A., about taking on the Aegean 600 as a Double-Handed challenge, I knew it would require serious commitment. Together with two talented young sailors from Israel, Yam Wirtheim and Orly Yosopov, we refined a two-boat campaign plan until it was finalized in mid-February. From there, we completed three intensive training camps in March, May, and June, each ending with an offshore race. We all share the same belief: the best training is racing. Our final preparation race was especially memorable. After finishing in Kea at 02:20 on Saturday morning, just 20 minutes behind LAVORO III, we continued on a pre-planned route, chasing the blue boat around the Aegean for the rest of the day before returning in time for the Sunday restart back to Voula. More than 48 hours of non-stop boat-on-boat sailing proved invaluable and gave us huge confidence for what lies ahead. After reviewing the weekend during a well-earned dinner back at Nautical Club Kalamaki, one thing became clear: We are ready for the big one and myself definitely hungry for the big one now”, says Simon Sweetman, a British-Kefalonian sailor based in Kefalonia, whose passion for offshore racing remains as strong as ever.
Now, the 6th Aegean 600 looming in about 20 days time, has broke again the entries record, both in total with 75 entries but also for Double Handed participating teams that this year have doubled to 12 entries. It looks like that the double handed overall winner of both the Fastnet and Sydney-Hobart in 2025 has inspired the imagination of many passionate offshore sailors around the world. OPTIMUM Sailing Academy loyal supporters PEFORMANCE TECHNOLOGIES and QUANTUM SAILS Greece alongside new comer THE DOCK are unquestionably fueling our passion to conqueer new frontiers and reach our goals and we dream to share with them our joy after crossing the finish line in Cape Sounio!
Stay tuned!