2024 AEGEAN 600 now open for entry
by AEGEAN 600 11 Dec 2023 16:41 UTC
5-13 July 2024
AEGEAN 600 © Vagelis Fragoulis
Organizers at the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC) are pleased to announce the 2024 edition of the AEGEAN 600 is now open for entry. The event is being held over 5-13 July 2024 and is co-organized by the host venue at Olympic Marine.
Now in its fourth annual edition, the race has grown in interest and popularity every year, with last year's third edition attracting 500 sailors racing on 45 yachts from 16 nations. What attracts them is this race's unique format: a scenic offshore journey of 605 miles that starts and finishes under the watchful gaze of the Ancient Temple of Poseidon poised on the sea cliff above Attica's Cape Sounio.
Besides this amazing and historic start and finish venue, the course itself is a spectacular tour that passes 13 iconic Greek islands, including a lap around the volcanic caldera of Santorini in the first part of the race and later towards end of the race through a gap at the islands of Dilos and Mykonos.
The ever-present northerly Meltemi winds that can peak to over 30 knots propels the fleet around this course, challenging their skills in both seamanship and navigation, yet also delivering clear sunny skies, starry nights and warm waters throughout.
Seaworthy monohulls of minimum length of 9.00 m and seaworthy multihulls of length 9.15 m and larger are welcome to enter with ORC and/or IRC certificates.
Recognized offshore class yachts such as Dehler 30 One Designs, Class 40's, Mini 6.5's, Figaro 2's and Figaro 3's are also welcome to enter. The event will also welcome Maxi yachts as a race on the 2024 International Maxi Class (IMA's) calendar of events.
Besides the race itself, the AEGEAN 600 welcomes all entries to a heaping dose of Greek hospitality at the full-service Olympic Marine venue with social events planned both before and after the race. The marina is a world-class facility, featuring modern docks, boatyard with full service facilities for repairs and maintenance, chandleries and markets, and restaurants and cafes.
A Safety Seminar is also offered for those who need to comply with the offshore race safety standards, and tours of this historic region are available for all those affiliated with the race, including sailors along with their families and friends.
For those that want to do some tuning of their boat and crew, a Warm-up Race is offered to all entries on Friday July 5th, two days before the race start on Sunday July 7th. This race will be held in the straits between Olympic Marine and the adjacent island of Makronisos to the east.
The complete schedule of 2024 AEGEAN 600 events is in the Notice of Race here and summarized as follows:
Tuesday April 30, 2024
20:00 Entry submission deadline
Sunday June 30, 2024
10:00 Free berthing commences at Olympic Marine
Tuesday July 2, 2024
12:00 Secretariat opening in Olympic Marine
Wednesday July 3 to Friday July 5, 2024
10:00-18:00 Registration and Inspections
Thursday July 4, 2024
18:00 - 21:00 Safety Training
Friday July 5, 2024
12:00 Warm-up Race
19:00 Skippers Meeting & Media Briefing
20:30 Welcome Ceremony
21:30 Reception Dinner
Saturday July 6, 2024
18:00 - 20:30 Visit to Temple of Poseidon
Sunday July 7, 2024
14:00 Start AEGEAN 600 at Sounio
Saturday July 13, 2024
14:00 Expiration of Race Time Limit
21:00 Prize Giving Ceremony
Monday July 15, 2024
14:00 Free berthing period expires at Olympic Marine
Last year's third edition was extremely fast, especially for the two leading Maxis who match-raced around the course in search of a new monohull course record: the Volvo 70 I LOVE POLAND and the Farr 100 LEOPARD 3.
There were rave reviews from the fleet for the 2023 race. LEOPARD 3 was awarded the overall AEGEAN 600 trophy and numerous other awards for their outstanding performance.
Skipper Chris Sherlock said "What an event. The hospitality was fantastic, the sailing was exceptional, and we look forward to coming back next year."
Others from throughout the fleet echoed their enthusiasm to return, including IRC 3 and ORC 3 class winner Panagiotis Mantis from the Greek Hanse 508 PHAEDRA. "I had imagined this to be a very good race with spectacular views, but what I experienced was way beyond. I am thrilled and can't wait for next year."
Stuart Austin, skipper of the UK-based Outremer 4x catamaran QUICK DECISION, said the same after finishing in second place in the Multihull division. "Next year we're going to be back. We're so pleased to have done this race, next year we're going to be back and do better again. The organizers are generous, they are welcoming, it's a race everybody really should do."
HORC and Olympic Marine invites you to join them in the fourth edition of this amazing event, called by Seahorse Magazine "The perfect 600-mile race."