Our coverage of the first ever Cretan Union Cup Regatta begins as the participating captains sail out from Chania Harbor to line up for the race start.
The Cretan Union Cup, one of many Crete celebrations to honor the Island’s unification with mainland Greece, is and interesting event in that the boats competing will sail along an ancient maritime route across the Northern shores of the Island. Beginning in Chania, to the West, captains will sail to Rethymno, Heraklion and Agios Nikolaos emulating a course the ancient Minoans might have paved in their pioneering seafaring tradition over 4000 years ago. From that Bronze Age civilization, to today’s yacht regatta, Crete has always been inextricably tied to the sea and the sail.
The list of competitors followed by their boats is as follows:
ANGELAKIS EMMANOUIL – THALASITIS
ALTSIADIS DIMITRIOS – ΑΛΜΥΡΑ
SMIRLIS STAYROS – SIMERA
ΒΑΣΙΛΑΚΗΣ ΜΙΧΑΛΗΣ – ΝΕΑΡΧΟΣ
PACHAKIS IOANNIS – ΚΥΜΑΤΟΛΗΓΗ
VITSAXAKIS NIKOLAOS – OINOH
MANIOUDAKIS KONSTANTINOS – KORNORANOS
BARMPOPOULOS MANOLIS – PANEFI II
ALEXANDROS GOTSIS – AETHRA
MARAGOUDAKIS GIANNIS – WATER GIPSY
MARINOS STAVROS – YRIA
LITSAS MICHALIS – EVI
BILL NANTAF – T.OURANOS
KOVATZIS ELIAS – EL VIENTO-GOODYEAR
ΜΑΝΟΥΣΑΚΗΣ ΣΤΑΥΡΟΣ – ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ
ΑΠΟΚΟΡΩΝΙΩΤΑΚΗΣ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΣ – ΠΟΛΙΚΟΣ ΙΙ
ΛΑΔΑ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΑ – KYPBA
ΛΑΔΑΣ ΗΛΙΑΣ – ΑΦΑΙΑ
MΠAKAΡΟΣ ΑΛΚΗΣ – ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣ
Through this event, and the surrounding activities set all around Crete this week, the Island hopes to see the eyes of the world on their pristine and paradise-like shores. Dozens of Crete and Greek businesses have sponsored, offered prizes and other support for this week’s regatta, as well as local residents and sailing club entities.
NEA TV is scheduled to run coverage of the various sailing legs, as are other local TV stations here on Crete. For more information on this or other Crete events, readers should visit the Region of Crete official website or the Cretan Union Cup one.
Image credits: Chania regatta fleet sailing – courtesy Chania Crete by Nikos