The sixth edition of the Aegean 600 has attracted 77 entries, a 30 percent increase on last year’s fleet, with less than three weeks to the July 5 start from Lavrion, Greece.
Organisers from the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC) and Olympic Marine say the fleet represents 21 nations, making it the largest and most diverse yet to contest the 605-mile race around the Aegean Sea.
“We’re actually surprised and quite impressed with the entry list this year,” said Ioannis Maragkoudakis, President of the Aegean 600 Organising Committee and Commodore of the HORC. “This shows that with all the problems in the world today, offshore sailors will continue to pursue their passion for this sport, and we share this enthusiasm. Racing the Aegean Sea is always a challenge, it is never the same, so we are pleased to see many teams returning again this year.”
Among those returning is Frederic Puzin’s Carkeek 54 DAGUET 5 from France, one of the fastest monohulls in last year’s race and a past podium finisher in the Middle Sea, Sydney-Hobart and Caribbean 600 races. DAGUET 5 claimed a podium in IRC One last year but missed out overall, with the race delivering conditions ranging from flat calm to gale-force Meltemi winds that favoured slower boats.
“I really liked this race not only because of it toughness to have skills tested in all conditions, but also the spirit of this race and its place in history,” said Puzin. “The setting here is amazing: the islands, the sunset, and the feeling of all the legendary sailors that have been here doing what we did for thousands of years.”
Last year’s IRC One winner, Chris Hemans, is also returning with his Cookson 50 VARUNA from the USA. Hemans says the hospitality and camaraderie set this event apart from any other race his team has contested, including other 600-mile races and the Transpac race to Hawaii.
“We found our experience here last year the very best celebration and greatest hospitality of any racing event we’ve done yet,” he said. “Everyone has been so friendly and helpful in the organisation, but also the spirit of camaraderie among the teams participating here has been amazing. We look forward to this again.”
Hemans says the team is better prepared this year, with experience of the course and additional offshore racing in the Mediterranean region over the past year.
“We have upgraded both our hardware and software, with some new sails and some new crew. Looking at the strength of our competition we will need this to do well again this year,” he said.
Other returning class title defenders include Maks Vrecko’s Elan 450 KARPO (SLO), and Alex Cot (FRA) and Michalis Aftias (GRE) double-handing the Pogo 50 EROS.
Gregor Stimpfl’s HAGAR V (ITA) is competing for the third time. The Scuderia 65 took part in the inaugural Aegean 600 in 2021 and returned in 2022 to win the overall Aegean 600 Trophy as IRC division winner, the Poseidon Trophy as overall ORC division winner, and class awards in Maxi, IRC 1 and ORC 1.
The Maxi Class has attracted 12 entries, the largest in the race’s history. The class forms part of the International Maxi Association’s Maxi Mediterranean Offshore Challenge.
Strong contenders for line honours include last year’s winner, George Procopiou’s Volvo 70 AIOLOS (GRE), which completed the course in 3 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes and 8 seconds. Claudio Demerit’s Reichel/Pugh 90 PROSECCO DOC SHOCKWAVE 3 (ITA) and Artur Skrzyszowski’s Volvo 65 SELMA RACING – SISI (AUT) are also among the fastest-rated boats in the class.
The fleet will compete across 16 classes, with scoring in IRC and ORC for monohulls and MOCRA for multihulls.
Thirteen teams are racing double-handed. The smallest boats in that group are three Dehler 30s sailed by Evangelia Delidou on AETHER (GRE), Periklis Livas and Simon Sweetman on OPTIMUM 4 (GRE), and Yam Wirtheimi on LAVARO III (ISR). At the other end of the size range are Les and Gordon Moeller’s Pegasus 50 BELLEROPHON (USA) and Michalis Aftias (GRE) and Alex Cot (FRA) on the Pogo 50 EROS.
Full entry information, including boat names, types, skipper and owner names, crew lists, classes and ratings, is available on the event website.
Key dates in the lead-up to the July 5 start are:
Sunday 28 June: Free berthing commences at Olympic Marine
Tuesday 30 June: Secretariat opens at Olympic Marine
Wednesday 1 July to Friday 3 July: Registration and Inspections
Thursday 2 July: Safety Training Seminar
Friday 3 July: Warm-up Race, Skippers Briefing, Media Briefing, and Welcome Ceremony
