The top sports tourism event “Santorini Experience” is only a few days away. Between October 6th and 8th 2017, running and swimming races will be held for a 3rd consecutive year on the enchanting island of the Cyclades.
“Santorini Experience” continues this year full of surprises. The established meet & greet event will take place on Friday, October 6th at noon (12:00 pm) at the store of the sponsor Alafouzos Sport in Fira. The event will be attended by the Greek-American ultramarathon athlete Dean Karnazes, who visits the island and the event for the first time and will run in the 15km race. Everyone attending the meet & greet will have the opportunity to get autographs from the athlete-phenomenon who will sign his latest book “The Road to Sparta” published by Key Books.
Top professional athletes, as well as lots of amateur swimmers and runners, will give a dynamic “presence” at the event, as registrations have already broken all previous records.
One of the athletes who has participated in all the events so far in the waters of Santorini is the Greek open water champion, Kelly Araouzou. Several members of the National Team will be present alongside her, including Antonis Fokaidis, Giorgos Arniakos, and Dimitris Negris, and, for the first time in an open water race, more than 10 Greek swimming champions will participate.
Another great athlete who will have his first participation in the event is the Hungarian swimmer Attila Manyoki. The 44-year-old distinguished athlete in open water swimming, with a great number of successes, belongs to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF). Manyoki has completed hundreds of marathon swimming races and has twice covered the 90km distance. In 2008, he swam 79.6km along Lake Balaton between Balatonkenese and Keszthely in 25 hours and 32 minutes.
For the best service and transfer of the participants in Santorini Experience at the starting points of the running routes on Saturday 07/10 in Oia and the swimming route on Sunday 08/10 at the old port of Fira, the event will arrange the following bus services: On Saturday October 7, 2017, there will be two services by bus (from 06:30am and 08:30am) from Fira (Bus station) to Oia (desalination plant) that will serve the participants wishing to be at the starting point of the running routes. Accordingly, the return of the participants will take place on another route at 12:30am, from Oia to Fira.
In addition, those wishing to move on Sunday, October 8, 2017, from Oia to the old port of Fira, will be served by the bus that will start from Passagio Santorini Oia at 08:30 in the morning. Please note that the transfer of swimmers to the volcano starts at 09:30, from the old port.
In the following link you may find the detailed schedule of the event: http://www.santorini-experience.com/en/event-info/schedule/schedule-2017.html
Online registrations for swimming and running have closed and registrations will only be made at the store of Alafouzos Sport, the event’s official sponsor, from Thursday October 5th.
From Thursday, October 5 to Saturday, October 7, 2017, all participants will be able to receive their numbers from Alafouzos Sport store (hours: 09:00-21:00). Alternatively the running participants may also receive their numbers one hour before the start of their route on Saturday October 7, 2017, from the desalination plant in Oia while the swimming participants may also receive their numbers one hour before their start on Sunday October 8, 2017, from the old port in Fira.
All of the above would not have been realized if major sponsors had not stood on the side of the event since the first day of “Santorini Experience”.
Ryanair is for one more year the official airline partner of the event. Blue Star Ferries, Alafouzos Sport and Athina Luxury Suites are the official sponsors while Samsung is the official technology partner. For the third consecutive year, ambassadors and organizers will move with the safety and efficient engines of the cars of Ford Motor Hellas, the official supporter of “Santorini Experience”. “Vikos” for the third consecutive year will offer to the athletes who will take part the opportunity to quench their thirst with the Natural Mineral Water “Vikos” that contributes to the good functioning of the body during sports. Official supporters include Avance, Aqua Vista Hotels, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, ΕΚΟ, GoPro, Wyndham Grand Athens and Santorini Boatmen Union.
The hospitality sponsors supporting the event are: Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aqua Vista Hotels, Athina Luxury Suites, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, Aegean Plaza Hotel, Andronis Concept, Vedema A Luxury Collection Resort Santorini, Canaves Oia, West East Suites, Desiterra Luxury Suites & Villas, 270 Oia’s View, Central Fira Hotel, Memories Hotel, Loizos Stylish Residencies, Fanouris Condo, Monolithia Hotel, Esperas Santorini, Sienna Residencies, Hotel Rivari Santorini, White Pearl Villas, Caldera Collection.
“Santorini Experience” will take place under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Swimming Federation with the co-organization of the Municipality of Santorini, DAPPOS and Active Media Group.
Official Hashtag: #SantoriniExperience
