POSIDONIA CUP 2008 RECEIVES OLYMPIAN ENDORSEMENT                 30/5/2008

WORLD’S SHIPPING SHOWPIECE OPENS IN ATHENS NEXT WEEK

Sailing Regatta Sets New Record

A record 64 yachts, nearly 500 crew members, two Olympic medal winners and one great occasion were the ingredients of the action-packed Posidonia Cup 2008 sailing race, the fourth edition of the biennial yachting event which marked the opening of the Posidonia 2008 week on Friday.

“The weather was perfect with high winds and bright sunshine and the new route was very challenging for all the crews. Posidonia Cup 2008 was a great sailing competition and a good warm up for the China Olympic Games,” said Sofia Bekatorou, the Athens 2004 gold medalist, skipper of ‘Aegeas’ which finished fourth in the Performance Division under the colours of Korea’s STX company. Bekatorou’s husband and fellow Olympian Andreas Kosmatopoulos was also a crew member for the Asian team.

The Performance Division was won by Commercial Trading – Musto Performance with its yacht ‘Meliti IV’. Silver went to Superfast / Marfin-Egnatia / with bronze going to Alpha Bank. A total of 16 crews participated in the Performance Division.

FKAB Marine Design won the Standard Division which was contested by 24 boats, Thenamaris (Ship Management) INC crossed the line first in the IRC class and Nikolaras topped the Classic Division.

The Lloyd’s Register-sponsored race culminated to a glamorous awards event presided by the Greek Deputy Minister of Mercantile Marine, the Aegean and Island Policy, Mr Panayiotis Kamenos, who congratulated the crews and praised the event’s organisers.

On behalf of the sponsors, Alan Gavin, Marine Business Director, Lloyd’s Register, said: “We feel honoured and privileged to be able to contribute to the success of this unique event which is a fitting celebration of the Hellenic maritime tradition.”

Posidonia 2008 is sponsored by the Ministry of Mercantile Marine, The Aegean and Island Policy, the Municipality of Piraeus, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Union of Greek Shipowners, the Greek Shipping Co-operation Committee, the Mediterranean Cargo Vessels Shipowners Union, the Association of Greek Coastal Shipping Companies and the Association of Greek Passenger Shipping Companies.

For additional information, press enquiries should be directed to:
Stavi Spanou, Press Officer, tel.: +30 210 9604200, e-mail: press@posidonia-events.com
Theodore Vokos, Project Manager, tel.: +30 210 4283608, e-mail: tnv@posidonia-events.com

The Posidonia 2008 Press Office is sponsored by Dubai Maritime City

Posidonia Events