The Aegean Regatta on the Calendar of the Ministry of the Aegean

Tuesday, 16 December 2003 02:00

The memories, the moments, the emotions, the spirit of emulation and the athletic ideal of the AEGEAN REGATTA will keep us company all of 2004 through the calendar of the Ministry of the Aegean basing its theme on the international sailing competition that was held for the first year in 2001 and has since become a tradition for the Archipelago.

With 3 years of life for the "Regatta of the Aegean" and with 12 port stops, while each one representing the theme of each month, with Plomari, Lesvos, as it was the starting point for the first AEGEAN REGATTA, being the theme for the month of January.

In the rest of the calendar's 11 months follow the next stops, appearing in order Inouses, Mesta of Chios, Vathi of Samos, Leros, Kos, Simi, Rhodes, Limnos, Samothraki, Petra, Molivos and Mitilini.

Month for month, this aesthetically attractive calendar, which is the product of the Graphics department of the Ministry of the Aegean, brings us closer to the archipelago's aura, the cultural traditions of its residents and to the traditional architecture of the islands, along with the sweat and strive of the yachtsmen, the sailing of the vessels and the seamanship of the Greeks.

The added reason that the Ministry of the Aegean chose the AEGEAN REGATTA for next year's calendar has to do with the fact that 2004 is an Olympic year and Athens and Greece will be hosting the utmost athletic rendezvous on the planet. The Ministry of the Aegean following the prevailing trend selected an athletic theme with cultural and social references that also come about in the Olympic Games.

In addition, the 2004 "Aegean Regatta" will constitute a continuation of the Olympics as its deployment will be held from September 4 to September 11, thus preserving the festive climate, which will have already been formed in our country and carrying the Olympic spirit to the islands of the Archipelago.

Next to the Ministry of the Aegean, the Under-secretariat of State for Sports is also contributing to the AEGEAN REGATTA, while additional coordinators are the Offshore Committee of the Hellenic Yachting Federation and the Yacht Clubs of the port stops of the race.

This year's course will be Andros, Chios, Pithagorio of Samos, Lipsi and finishing in Patmos.