Sailing
General
The sport of Sailing combines two of the Club's main goals, sports and the love of the sea. For the Vouliagmeni Nautical Club, it is a section with a long history and many successes, culminating in the winning of the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta in 1996 by – at the time – our Club athlete – Nikos Kaklamanakis.
The Group maintains competitive Trigono Sailing clubs, which continuously achieve great success in Greece and abroad.
Browse the Sailing pages for more information about the history, teams and competition schedule of the department.
Table of Contents
History
A brief excerpt from the Historical Album of the Vouliagmeni Nautical Club “In Search of the Athletic Ideal”, written by Mr. Panos Ioannidis and which was officially presented in July 2008, in the context of the celebration of the Club's 70th anniversary.
1966
The Sailing Department is created for the first time, with a committee consisting of Group members F. Giannoulopoulos, I. Gounelas, A. Bakousis and H. Sofokleous.
1967
The Group becomes a member of the Hellenic Sailing Federation, which provides 4 “Optimist” type boats for a symbolic fee. However, this initiative did not continue.
1976
A new attempt is made to organize the department with a committee of Group members D. Boubous and K. Charonis. Two more “Lighting” type boats are granted to the Group. Again, the department’s activity was small.
1979
On the initiative of the General Head of Sports Departments Panos Ioannidis, the systematic operation of the Sailing Department of the Club is decided. The President of the Club George Kampanis, together with the entire Board of Directors support this new beginning even though boats, athletes and equipment... did not exist!
The first coaches of the department were Lakis Kyriakides, a well-known sailor of the time, as well as the later President of the NOP Faliro and the EIO. Nikos Sarikavazis. The first boats acquired by the department were, of course, “Optimist”, 5 Greek wooden boats. The first optimists and pioneers of the department were: George Vareltzidis, Giannis Delikanakis, Kostis Ioannidis, Kelly Kalogera, Alexandros Konnidas, Giannis Konnidas, Vangelis Mastrogiannis, Panagiotis Mastrogiannis, Nikos Bartis, Nikos Spyropoulos, Sofia Spyropoulou, Kostas Stampoulopoulos.
In the same year and with only two months of training, four "newcomers" of the department, Alexandros and Giannis Konnidas, Nikos and Sofia Spyropoulou, dare and participate in the Panhellenic Championship of the "Optimist" class, which is held in August in Thessaloniki.
1980
The department acquires an “exclusive” supervisor with Panos Ioannidis, who combined the qualities of the General Sports Council of the Departments, the swimming supervisor and the water polo supervisor (!) handing over the baton to Giannis Xanthakos, a member of the Board of Directors. Lakis Kyriakides, having the responsibility of organizing and operating the Club’s Open Water School, which had in the meantime been created, hands over the technical leadership of the department to the renowned coach and sailor Giannis Speis.
The department's equipment is enriched with 3 brand new "Laser" type boats, with Yannis Konnidas, George Vareltzidis and Yannis Delikanakis becoming the first "laserists" of the Group.
Competitively, our sailors take part in the Panhellenic “Optimist” Championship held at the Faliro Sailing Club with the participation of 140 boats and achieve, for the first time, ranking positions in a championship race (in Thessaloniki they had not finished due to a storm) and even with boats unsuitable for competitive use. These athletes and the positions they took were: Alexandros Konnidas 17th, Kostis Ioannidis 48th, Giorgos Vareltzidis 68th, Nikos Spyropoulos 87th, Kostas Stampoulopoulos 102nd.
1981
This year the department finds a new coach: Giannis Spei is succeeded by Manolis Ioannidis, a sailor himself but also an agronomics student. A young man who has goals and vision. He sets his own rules and demands work and discipline, without becoming unpleasant. On the contrary, everyone follows his program and many are the ones who remember him, even now, for what he taught them.
In the spring of the same year, the first major delivery of sports equipment for the department takes place: 10 brand new “Optimist” (Falsned brand - Denmark) arrive at the Club and are delivered in a festive atmosphere to the happy sailors. For the acquisition of these boats, the contribution of the late member and later president Nikos Triantafyllakis, who was also the representative of a Danish house in Greece, was invaluable. It was a supply of boats that, even with the current data of the Club, can be considered extremely rich, contributing decisively to the development of the department.
In the competitive sector, the Club achieves its first Panhellenic victory in the “Optimist” championship! It is Alexandros Konnidas who takes 2nd place, among 120 boats, including four with our sailors Kostis Ioannidis and Nikos Spyropoulos.
However, for the first time, there was participation in the “Laser” boat class in the Panhellenic Championship, where 56 boats took part. Some of our athletes, due to their young age and consequently their light weight, raced… in pairs! The results of these first “laserists” of the Group were: Giorgos Vareltzidis 26th, Kostis Ioannidis – Nikos Spyropoulos 29th, Vangelis Economou 30th, Andreas Filippou 38th, Giannis Konnidas 40th
1982
The section is supervised by Kostas Konnidas, a member and father of the boats A. and G. Konnidas. At this time, the parents of the athletes are also very close to the section, who follow their children's movements closely, also carrying boats, masts, sails, etc. Its first coach, Lakis Kyriakides, who had created the Club's Offshore Sailing School, continued to show interest in the section. For a couple of summers, he even had the School's boat tied up at the end of the pier and on some afternoons, when there was space, he would take the little optimists for walks in the bay and the Veins, giving them the opportunity to feel like "captains" and dream of distant voyages!
1983
The department is moving into a new class of boats for the Group. 3 brand new “420” boats are being received, crewed by former “Optimists” Alexandros Konnidas, Giannis Konnidas, Kostis Ioannidis, Vassilis Mylonadis and Giorgos Vareltzidis-Kostas Stampoulopoulos.
1984
A. Chalaris, a member, takes over as the department's superintendent. During the same year, however, after A. Chalaris, Leonidas Mylonadis (member and father of our sailor Vasilis Mylonadis) and then Kostas Stergiopoulos, later president of the Club, take over as the department's superintendent. The Panhellenic Boat Championship “420” is held at the Club.
1985
Theodoros Yiouvanoglou, a member and open sea sailor himself, takes over as Superintendent of the Department.
1986
The year is marked by the retirement from active activity of some of the department's first sailors, such as Kostis Ioannidis, Vassilis Mylonadis, Giorgos Kokoletsos, Giorgos Vareltzidis.
1987
There is a change in the technical leadership of the department. The coach of 6 years, Manolis Ioannidis, leaves due to military service and his place is taken by Vangelis Romaios, an experienced sailor and coach who was to offer his services for more than 14 years.
The management of the Department is undertaken by the members of the Group, Bruno Ortolano and Dimitris Lafazanis. In the Panhellenic “Optimist” Championship, Vasilis Portosalte is declared Greek Champion.
1988
The department grows, the number of athletes increases and Vangelis Romaios gains a collaborator-assistant: it is Dimitris Alevizakis, a sailor and student of the Gymnastics Academy, who is also going to accompany the department for many years and become equally useful and beloved.
The Group is assigned the organization of the 1991 Mediterranean Sailing Championships.
In the Panhellenic Championship, Boat Class “420”, Notis Mavrias – Denis Zisopoulos take 3rd place, while in the Boat Class Championship “DIV II” and “Mistral” (windsurfing) Nikos Kaklamanakis is declared Greek Champion and Yiannis Anagnostakis takes 3rd place.
Despite all his victories, however, Kaklamanakis was unfairly excluded from the National Olympic Sailing team for the Seoul Olympics.
1989
The efforts of athletes, coaches and administrators are bearing fruit, with the most important being the great successes of Vasilis Portosaltes – who won the silver medal at the “Optimist” Pan-European Boat Races in Sweden – and Nikos Kaklamanakis who also won the silver medals at the World Championship and the European Championship in the “DIV II” class.
Odysseas Papadopoulos also achieved 7th place in the World Championship of “Laser Radial” boats and 10th place in the Pan-European Championship, of the same class. In the Pan-Hellenic Championship of the “Laser Radial” boat class, Odysseas Papadopoulos was declared Champion of Greece, while in the Championships of the “DIV II” and “Mistral” (windsurfing) boat classes, Nikos Kaklamanakis and Haris Savvakis, respectively, won gold medals.
1990
The star of our athlete Odysseas Papadopoulos shines, taking 1st place in the “Laser Radial” type boats at the Europa Cup. In the same competitions, Nikos Kaklamanakis takes 3rd place in the “Lechner” windsurfers.
The Club is entrusted with the international competition “Eurolymp”. The competitions concerned the boat classes “470”, “Laser”, “Lechner” (windsurfing), 17 countries participated with a total of 165 boats and the whole organization was crowned with great success. They were the first international Sailing Competitions held in the Club, since the establishment of our Sailing Department, which is why the mobilization of our members and their contribution to the good image and wonderful international organizational presence of the Club was of particular value.
At the Panhellenic Championship in the “Lechner” Boat Class (Windsurfing), Nikos Kaklamanakis wins the Gold medal.
International Participations and Awards:
- Odysseas Papadopoulos: 1st place in the Europa Cup Laser Radial and 1st place in the French Open Championship
- Nikos Kaklamanakis: 1st place at the Lechner Balkan Games
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: 1st place in the Mediterranean Optimist Games
- Vasilis Portosaltes: 4th place in the Mediterranean Optimist Games
1991
Our Club is awarded by the Hellenic Sailing Federation, as the most successful Club for 1990 and for its “active participation and successful organization of the “International Sailing Week Eurolymp Athens” which took place at the Club last year”. Our sailors Odysseas Papadopoulos, Nikos Kaklamanakis and Nonika Oikonomopoulou are also awarded for their successes.
The department's management is taken over exclusively by Bruno Ortolano, due to the retirement of Dimitris Lafazanis, for personal and professional reasons. However, before leaving the Department, he takes care of and achieves the donation - offer of the FIAT automobile industry, of a "Ducato" semi-truck for the needs of the Department. This car, 16 years later and having hundreds of thousands of kilometers on its wheels, continues to offer... its valuable services without complaint!
Our former champion Kostis Ioannidis takes over as assistant to coaches V. Romaios and D. Alevizakis, with responsibility for the pre-season team.
At the Panhellenic Lechner Championship, Nikos Kaklamanakis won 1st place and Haris Savvakis won 1st place in the Youth category.
International Participations and Awards:
- Odysseas Papadopoulos: Europa Cup – Laser Radial 1st place (for the 2nd consecutive year)
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: European Optimist Championship, 5th place.
MEDITERRANEAN RACES: The Mediterranean Sailing Games (boat classes “Laser”, “470”, “Lechner”) are held at the Club and constitute the dominant sailing event of the year, promoting the Club and Vouliagmeni at a Pan-European level. Famous European sailors participate, with French and Italian athletes as the protagonists. The games are organized by the EIO with great organizational success and enable the Club to carry out important projects, starting with the construction of warehouses and hangars for the sailing section, where there were previously stands for watching – in the past – Water Skiing competitions, as well as the large slipway for our sailing boats. Projects that contributed to the development of the section and the improvement of the Club’s image. It was the largest international sailing event that had taken place, up to that time, in the Club and Vouliagmeni.
1992
The year opens with the significant success of Nonika Oikonomopoulou in the European Optimist Boat Championship, who takes 3rd place out of 73 boats, in a race in which the National Teams of Japan, Argentina and Singapore participated. Nikos Kaklamanakis takes 4th place in the “Siam” World Cup, in Lechner boats, which takes place in Thailand and 1st place in the international Sailing race “Athens Eurolymp Week 1992”, in the Faliraki Delta. He is also declared Greek Champion in the Lechner boat class.
1993
The International Sailing Competitions “Eurolymp” are organized again at the Club. At the Mediterranean Championship, in Grand Motle (France), Nikos Kaklamanakis wins the Gold medal, offering the Club and Greece another great international success. At the Panhellenic Boat Championship “420”, Vasilis Portosalte wins 1st place and is proclaimed Champion of Greece.
1994
The year is marked by the achievement of 1st place in the World Ranking of the Olympic Mistral boat category by our champion Nikos Kaklamanakis and the Gold medals he won at the Pan-European and Pan-Hellenic Championships.
Also distinguished and awarded medals are:
- Odysseas Papadopoulos: Gold at the Balkan Games and the Panhellenic Championship and Bronze at the Pan-European Laser Boat Games
- Efi Mantzaraki: Gold at the Balkan Games and Silver at the Panhellenic Laser Boat Championship
- Angeliki Skarlatou: Gold at the Mistral Balkan Games
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: Silver at the Panhellenic Games Europe
- Makis Nikolaidis: Bronze at the Balkan and Panhellenic Games Optimist
- Emilia Papageorgiou: Bronze medal at the Panhellenic Optimist Games
1995
The upward trajectory of the department continues with great successes of our sailors:
- The leading protagonist of our champions is Nikos Kaklamanakis, who once again occupies 1st place in the world ranking of the Mistral boat class, also winning the Gold medal at the Pre-Olympic Games in Savannah, the Silver at the World Championship, the Bronze at the Pan-European Championship and the Gold medal at the Pan-Hellenic Championship.
- Also, Angeliki Skarlatou wins the Silver medal at the Balkan Games and the Gold at the Panhellenic Championship in the Mistral boat class.
- Efi Mantzaraki wins the Gold medal at the European Junior Championships, the Silver at the World Youth Championships, the Silver at the European Women's Championships and the Gold medal at the Panhellenic Laser Championships.
- Stavroula Passa, in the same boat class, won the Silver medal in the Balkan Junior Championship and the Panhellenic Junior Championship, the Silver medal in the Panhellenic Women's Championship and the Gold medal in the Panhellenic Girls' Championship.
- Odysseas Papadopoulos, in the Finn boat class, wins the Silver medal at the Balkan Games, the Gold at the Panhellenic Youth Championship and the Bronze at the Panhellenic Men's Championship.
- George and Alphonso Panagiotidis win the Gold medal at the Panhellenic Youth Championship, in the 470 boat class.
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou wins the Silver medal at the Panhellenic Junior Championship, in Europe, and Maria Oikonomopoulou with Eleni Panou win the Silver medal at the Panhellenic Women's and Junior Championship, in the 420.
1995
The upward trajectory of the department continues with great successes of our sailors:
- The leading protagonist of our champions is Nikos Kaklamanakis, who once again occupies 1st place in the world ranking of the Mistral boat class, also winning the Gold medal at the Pre-Olympic Games in Savannah, the Silver at the World Championship, the Bronze at the Pan-European Championship and the Gold medal at the Pan-Hellenic Championship.
- Also, Angeliki Skarlatou wins the Silver medal at the Balkan Games and the Gold at the Panhellenic Championship in the Mistral boat class.
- Efi Mantzaraki wins the Gold medal at the European Junior Championships, the Silver at the World Youth Championships, the Silver at the European Women's Championships and the Gold medal at the Panhellenic Laser Championships.
- Stavroula Passa, in the same boat class, won the Silver medal in the Balkan Junior Championship and the Panhellenic Junior Championship, the Silver medal in the Panhellenic Women's Championship and the Gold medal in the Panhellenic Girls' Championship.
- Odysseas Papadopoulos, in the Finn boat class, wins the Silver medal at the Balkan Games, the Gold at the Panhellenic Youth Championship and the Bronze at the Panhellenic Men's Championship.
- George and Alphonso Panagiotidis win the Gold medal at the Panhellenic Youth Championship, in the 470 boat class.
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou wins the Silver medal at the Panhellenic Junior Championship, in Europe, and Maria Oikonomopoulou with Eleni Panou win the Silver medal at the Panhellenic Women's and Junior Championship, in the 420.
The year can be characterized as one of the most fruitful and efficient for the section, since its creation in the Club. That is why we remind you that the coaches are: Vangelis Romaios, Dimitris Alevizakis and Vassilis Christoforou, while the superintendent is Bruno Ortolano, with their technical committee: Alekos Stavridis, Frangoulis Mantzarakis and Panagiotis Economopoulos.
1996
The Superintendent of the department is Alexandros Konnidas, former Champion of the Department, with a Technical Committee of Bruno Ortolano, Frangoulis Mantzarakis, Alekos Stavridis and Manolis Tsirimonakis, also a former sailor. In the competitive sector, the worthy selection of our World Champion Nikos Kaklamanakis and our champion Angeliki Skarlatou for our National Olympic team that is taking part in the Atlanta Olympic Games stands out.
At the Panhellenic Championships and the Balkan Games, the following are distinguished:
- Efi Mantzaraki: Gold medals at the Panhellenic Women's and Youth Championships and at the Balkan Laser Games.
- Angeliki Skarlatou: Gold medal at the Panhellenic Mistral Championship.
- Stavroula Passa: Gold medal at the Panhellenic Girls' Championships and the Balkan Games and Silver medal at the Panhellenic Women's Championships, in Laser Radial.
- Alphonso Panagiotidis: Silver medal, at the Panhellenic Youth Championships, in the 470.
- Andreas Papageorgiou: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Youth Championships, in the 470.
- Vasilis Portosalte: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Men's Championships, in the 470.
- Maria Oikonomopoulou: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Youth Championships, in the 470.
- Lalina Panou: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Youth Championships, in the 470.
- George Panagiotidis: Gold medal at the Panhellenic Youth Men's Games and Silver at the Balkan Games, in Finn.
- Odysseas Papadopoulos: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Men's Championships, in Finn.
- Lazaros Charalambides: Silver medal, at the Panhellenic Children's Championships, in Laser Radial.
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Women's Championships, in Europe.
- Makis Nikolaidis: Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Championship, in the 420.
International participations and distinctions:
- Nikos Kaklamanakis: 1st place at the Mistral World Championship
- Angeliki Skarlatou: 1st place at “Athens Eurolymp Week”, in the Finn
- Vasilis Portosaltes: 3rd place at “Athens Eurolymp Week”, at 470
- George Panagiotidis: 3rd place at “Athens Eurolymp Week”, in the Finn
- Odysseas Papadopoulos: Silver medal at the “Athens Eurolymp Week”, in the Finn
- Stavroula Passa: 5th place at the European Junior Championships, in Laser Radial
- Lazaros Charalambides: 6th place at the European Junior Championships, in Laser Radial
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: 6th place in the Pan-European Junior Championships, in Europe.
OLYMPIC GAMES ATLANTA 1996
NIKOLA'S GOLD MEDAL IN WINDSURFING
THE GROUP'S GREATEST MOMENT
Nikos Kaklamanakis is the athlete who gave the Club the only, to date, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL in its history. He is the man who gave the Club and Vouliagmeni global brilliance and athletic recognition. Nikos' triumph did not come by chance or by chance. It is the result of a long, systematic and hard effort, aiming for the top. Before this brilliant success, he had been preceded by World, Pan-European and countless International victories, which gave him the right to believe in himself and his strengths, thanks to which he overcame all the difficulties and all the obstacles he faced on his path to his global athletic recognition.
Going back in time, to 1979, we find him taking his first steps in the sport that he distinguished himself and loved from the beginning. He was then only 11 years old and his first teacher was his father Thodoros, who, together with his mother Rena and his sister Melina, have always been his main support throughout his journey. At the age of 13, he takes part in his first Panhellenic Championship and wins 1st place in the Youth category. It was the beginning of his successes and countless collection of Gold medals.
In 1986 he won his first major international victory, winning the Bronze medal at the IYRU World Youth Championships and qualifying for the Seoul Olympics.
In 1988, the year of the Olympic Games, he was unjustly and unjustifiably excluded from the Greek Olympic team, a fact that rightly caused him bitterness, sadness and disappointment, but which did not prevent him from continuing his great effort.
During the period 1989-1992 he achieved:
- Silver medal at the World Championships in Texas
- Gold medal at the Balkan Games
- 9th place at the BARCELONA OLYMPIC GAMES (1992)
- Bronze medal at the European Championship.
In 1993, while the preparation period for the Atlanta Olympic Games had begun, he made himself available to children who wanted to follow the exciting sport of windsurfing. He asked the Club to allocate him space in its facilities as well as the use of a small area, towards the Club’s side – the sandy beach on the side, in order to facilitate the children’s start with windsurfing and to have greater and better contact with the children on the beach.
The Club happily accepts Nikos's nice proposal, but not the Municipality, which rejects the request to grant the beach. In the same year, he wins the Gold medal at the Mediterranean Games, the Bronze medal at the Pan-European Games and 5th place at the World Windsurfing Championship.
In 1994 he won 1st place in the Atlanta Pre-Olympics, 6th place in the World Championship, 1st place in the European Championship and 1st place in the World Windsurfing Rankings in the "Mistral" class.
In 1995, he again won 1st place in the Pre-Olympics in Savannah – the region of Canada where the Atlanta Olympics would be held – 2nd place in the World Championship, 3rd place in the European Championship, while continuing to be at the top of the World Rankings.
1996 begins with winning 1st place in the World Championship and in the World Rankings, and ends with the OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN ATLANTA.
1997
Our sailors are present and participate in the championships of various boat classes and in international competitions with many and significant successes.
Panhellenic Championships
470
- Efi Mantzaraki – Lalina Panou, 1st place
- Maria Oikonomopoulou, 3rd place (Juniors)
Mistral (Windsurfing)
- Nikos Kaklamanakis, 1st place
- Angeliki Skarlatou, 1st place
- Akis Argyriadis, 3rd place (Children)
Laser (Standard)
- Lazaros Charalambides, 2nd place in Europe
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou, 2nd place in Laser Radial
- Stavroula Passa, 2nd Place
International Participations and Awards
- Angeliki Skarlatou: 1st place in the Balkan Championship and 1st place in the Athens Eurolymp, on Mistral
- Nikos Kaklamanakis, 6th place, at the Mistral World Championship
- Lazaros Charalambidis, 4th place, at the European Laser Standard Championship
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou, 4th place, at the Athens Eurolymp, in Europe
- Efi Mantzaraki – Lalina Panou, 2nd place in the Balkan Championship 470
- Vasilis Sotiriou – Vasilis Portosaltes, 2nd place in the Balkan Championship 470.
The department's superintendent is Panagiotis Economopoulos and the coaches are Vangelis Romaios, Dimitris Alevizakis and Vassilis Christoforou.
1998
A year of administrative changes: Alexandros Konnidas is succeeded by Alexandros Stavridis with his associates Frangoulis Mantzarakis, Thanasis Kaklamanos and Christos Argyriadis, while Dimitris Alevizakis leaves the coaching team, after a 10-year fruitful and creative contribution to the department.
In the competitive sector, the participation of our sailors, although limited compared to previous years, is still significant and successful. In the Optimist category, new stars are making their appearance, such as Oliver and Philippos Petrakakos, Sevina Katrakazas, Philippos Kolokas, Giorgos Valianos and Alexandros Kaklamanos, who are distinguished in the corresponding Panhellenic Championship.
In the major categories, our athletes occupy the following positions:
- George and Alphonso Panagiotidis: 2nd place in the Panhellenic Championship and the European Eurolymp in Athens, in the 49er
- Panagiotis Sardellis: 3rd place in the Panhellenic Youth Championship, in Laser Standard
- Efi Mantzaraki: 2nd place in the Panhellenic Women's Championship, at 470
- Alexandros Konnidas – Panagiotis Panagiotidis: 3rd place in the Panhellenic and Balkan Championships, at 470.
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: 2nd place in the Panhellenic and Balkan Women's Championships, in Europe
- Lalina Panou: 3rd place in the Panhellenic Youth Championship, in Europe
The 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold medalist, Nikos Kaklamanakis, is leaving the department and the Club. Although the departure is formally taking place in September (transfer period) despite the Administration's efforts to prevent it, its announcement had been made several months in advance, by the athlete himself, due to disagreements and problems that had arisen in his relations with the Club during the term of the previous Administration. It was certainly an unpleasant and unfortunate outcome that did not deserve the worthy athlete himself, but also the Club, where he was nurtured athletically.
1999
Vangelis Romaios is leaving the coaching team, who for 14 years was by the side of our sailors, offering them his knowledge and his love. In 2000, Vangelis Romaios was awarded by the Club for his valuable contribution. And as he said in the address given to him by the old athlete of the department and student of Vangelis, Kostis Ioannidis: “He offered the athletes of the department, in addition to technical knowledge and exemplary behavior, paternal but also friendly interest and a lot of... sugar, which made him beloved and sweet to everyone..”
However, the same year was marked by a sad event: the serious injury of the section's coach Vasilis Christoforou. During the Panhellenic Optimist Games in Porto Rafti, completely unexpectedly, at an unfortunate moment, Vasilis, while diving into the hotel pool, where he was celebrating his successes with the children, hit his head and neck, losing consciousness.
By a fortunate coincidence, the former coach of the Department, Dimitris Alevizakis, noticed the incident and pulled him out of the water at the last moment and the fatality was averted. The aftermath was not pleasant for our coach, who unfortunately has been experiencing mobility problems since then. It is worth noting that on the initiative of the department, a musical event was organized on 31/3 of the following year to support the suffering Vasilis.
In the competitive sector, the following stand out:
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: 1st place at the Athens Eurolymp, in Europe
- George & Alphonsos Panagiotidis: 1st place at the Athens Eurolymp, in the 49er
- Vasilis Portosalte – Thanasis Pachoumos (mixed crew): 3rd place at the Athens Eurolymp, in the 49er
- Daniel Alchanatis – Thrasos Pantelaion: 3rd place in the Panhellenic Children's Championship, at 470
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: 3rd place in the Panhellenic Women's Championship, in Europe
- Ch. Finos: 1st place in the Panhellenic Children's Championship, in Laser Radial
After the departure of Vangelis Romaios and Vasilis Christoforou, the coaching team was formed by Vasilis Iliopoulos with his associates Haris Ganiatsas, Dimitris Ganiatsas and Makis Nikolaidis, a former athlete of the department.
After the departure of Vangelis Romaios and Vasilis Christoforou, the coaching team was formed by Vasilis Iliopoulos with his associates Haris Ganiatsas, Dimitris Ganiatsas and Makis Nikolaidis, a former athlete of the department.
2000
The year begins with the organization by our Club, for the 3rd time, of the international sailing races “Athens Eurolymp Week”, for the 470 and Mistral boat classes, after being assigned by the EIO. The closing ceremony of the races and the awarding of prizes to the winners, among whom were our athletes Angeliki Skarlatou (Gold medal in the Mistral) and Nonika Oikonomopoulou (Silver medal in the Europe boats), took place at the Club.
2001
The department acquires a sponsor! It is the Vice President of the Board of Directors, Katerina Panagopoulou, in her capacity as the Ambassador of Greece for Sports Tolerance and “Ev Agonizesthai” financially supports the department.
The 1st Training and Educational Camp of the “Optimist” class is organized and held at the Club, in which 8 sailors from the Club and 8 from Clubs in the center and the province participated. It was a pioneering initiative of the department, which included gymnastics, theory, videos, training, competitions, entertainment (cinema, visit to archaeological sites of Vouliagmeni).
In the competitive sector, the following stand out:
- Oliver Petrakakos: 1st place in the Balkan Optimist Championship and 2nd place in the Panhellenic Optimist Championship
- Angeliki Skarlatou: 1st place in the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
- Philippos Petrakakos: 3rd place in the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
The year ends with the creation of a major and serious issue in relation to the repair of the warehouses of the windsurfing department, on the northwest side of the Club, which are characterized as... arbitrary! These warehouses, which were built more than 30 years ago, were initially used as the residence of - the Club's caretaker - Panagiotis Bartis and in the 90s as a storage space for the training materials of Olympic Champion Nikos Kaklamanakis.
For their preservation and rescue, at the initiative of the department's ephorate, more than 50 old and new athletes sent a letter to the Municipality of Vouliagmeni, requesting its intervention. For this case, the president of the Club, Giorgos Kampanis, was referred to court, only to be solemnly acquitted.
2002
The 2nd Training Camp of the “Optimist” class was successfully held at the Club, with the participation of 20 sailors, 10 of whom were athletes from our Club and the rest from Clubs in the center and the province. In the competitive sector, the following stand out:
- Angeliki Skarlatou: 1st place in the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: 2nd place in the Panhellenic Championship Europe
Vasilis Iliopoulos is leaving the coaching team, having contributed to the progress of the department's athletes, and is succeeded by Giannis Kavarligos.
2003
A year of preparation for 4 of our champion sailors. They are Angeliki Skarlatou (Windsurfing), Efi Mantzaraki (Yngling), George & Alphonso Panagiotidis (49er) and Nonika Oikonomopoulou (Europe) who, as members of the National Team, have applied to participate in our country's Olympic Sailing team.
A year of preparation for 4 of our champion sailors. They are Angeliki Skarlatou (Windsurfing), Efi Mantzaraki (Yngling), George & Alphonso Panagiotidis (49er) and Nonika Oikonomopoulou (Europe) who, as members of the National Team, have applied to participate in our country's Olympic Sailing team.
In the competitive sector, the following stand out:
- Alfonso and George Panagiotidis: 1st place in the Panhellenic 49er Championship
- Virginia Ethnopoulou: 3rd place in the Mediterranean Championship Europe (Young Women)
- Nikos Papadopoulos: 3rd place in the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
- Angeliki Skarlatou: 1st place in the Mediterranean Mistral Championship and 2nd place in the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
- Sofia Kaffa: 2nd place in the Mediterranean Mistral Championship and 3rd place in the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
- Maria Papadaki: 3rd place in the Mistral Mediterranean Championship.
Giannis Kavarligos is leaving the coaching team and is succeeded by Nitsa Giakoumidou, Physical Education Professor, while Makis Nikolaidis and Daniel Alchanatis continue.
2004
It is the Olympic Games year and everyone's attention is focused on the effort of our Sailors to qualify and participate in our country's Olympic team. Ultimately, of the 5 candidates for the Olympic team, our athletes, only Efi Mantzaraki (in Yngling) participates in the Athens Olympics as a mixed crew, occupying the – very honorable – 11th place.
They also participated in the Panhellenic Championships and international competitions, where the following distinguished themselves:
- Ermina Batsi-Georgakopoulou: Bronze medal at the Optimist European Championship
- Angeliki Skarlatou: Gold medal at the Mediterranean Championship and the Panhellenic Mistral Championship
- Angeliki Davrou: Gold medal at the Panhellenic Girls' Championships in Laser 4.7
- Maria Konsta: Silver medal at the Panhellenic Girls' Championship, in Europe
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou, Bronze medal, at the Panhellenic Women's Championship, in Europe.
At the end of the season, Panos Ioannidis leaves the department's board and is succeeded by Kostas Logothetis, a member and parent of our sailors.
2005
A significant number of our sailors participate in the Panhellenic Championships and International competitions, where the following stand out:
- Alexandros Giakas: Silver medal at the World Youth Championships, in Mistral
- Ermina Batsi-Georgakopoulou: Bronze medal at the European Junior Championships, in the Laser 4.7
- Demosthenis Anagnostopoulos: 4th place in the European Junior Championships, in Laser 4.7
- Anastasia Davrou: Gold medal at the Balkan Championship and the Panhellenic Mistral Championship, especially in the Women's category
- Alfonso and George Panagiotidis: Silver medal at the Panhellenic 49er Championship
- Nonika Oikonomopoulou: Gold medal at the Panhellenic Yngling Championship
- Olga Hadjikosti: Silver medal at the Panhellenic Yngling Championship
- Virginia Ethnopoulou: Silver medal at the Panhellenic Europe Championship (Juniors)
- Maria Konsta: Bronze medal at the Panhellenic Youth Championships in Europe
2007
In the competitive sector, the following stand out:
- Ermina Batsi-Georgakopoulou: Gold medal at the Panhellenic “Laser Radial” Boat Championship (Young Women)
- Dionysis Zisimos: Bronze medal at the Panhellenic Laser 4.7 Championship
- Anastasia Davrou, 5th place at the World Junior Windsurfing RS:X Championships, Gold medal at the Panhellenic Junior Women's Championships and Silver at the Panhellenic Women's Championships in RS:X
- Alexandros Giakas: Silver medal at the Panhellenic Championship, in RS:X.
At the end of the season, Kostas Logothetis, having contributed to the progress of the section, leaves the department. He is succeeded by Odysseas Papadopoulos, former champion of the section and the Club.
This year, the Sailing Department of the Club completes almost 20 years of action and top successes. It is the department that gave our Club the greatest sporting recognition with the gold medal of Nikos Kaklamanakis, at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. It is still the only truly marine and nautical sport (Water Skiing is now held in lakes), which is also one of the components of our Club's brand, which makes it special and unique.
Optimist Competition Team
Development Optimist Team
Laser Competition Team
Sailing Superintendent
