The 6th AEGEAN 600 is counting down to its start on 5 July, when the 605-nautical-mile offshore race will begin beneath the iconic Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio.
With entries up by more than 30% compared with last year, the event will welcome its largest and most international fleet to date. Seventy-seven monohulls and multihulls, crewed by sailors from 21 countries around the world, will take on one of offshore sailing’s most distinctive challenges in the legendary Aegean Sea.
Honestly, we are impressed and somewhat surprised by this year’s entry list. This shows that, despite the challenges the world is facing today, offshore sailors continue to pursue their passion for the sport, and we share that spirit. Racing in the Aegean is always a challenge. It is never the same, and we are delighted to see so many teams returning this year.
–Ioannis Maragoudakis, Chairman of the AEGEAN 600 Organising Committee and President of the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club.
Among them is the striking green Carkeek 54 DAGUET 5, raced by France’s Frederic Puzin. One of the fastest monohulls on last year’s course, DAGUET 5 has also claimed podium finishes in three other leading 600-mile offshore races: the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the RORC Caribbean 600.
Last year, DAGUET 5 finished on the podium in IRC One, although highly variable conditions across the unpredictable Aegean prevented a stronger overall result. The race moved from calms to powerful gusts of the meltemi, the region’s characteristic summer wind, favouring boats designed for less consistent conditions. Still, Puzin returns with enthusiasm.
“I loved this race, not only because of its difficulty and the way it tests every aspect of a crew’s ability in all conditions, but also because of its spirit and historical significance,” he said. “The setting is extraordinary: the islands, the sunsets and the sense that we are sailing in the same waters as legendary seafarers have done for thousands of years.”
Chris Hemans and his crew aboard the US Cookson 50 VARUNA, last year’s IRC One winners, will also return to the Aegean. Hemans shares Puzin’s appreciation for the course, while also highlighting the event’s hospitality and the friendships formed during previous editions.
“Our experience here last year was the best celebration and the greatest hospitality we have encountered at any race,” he said, referring not only to other 600-mile races but also to the Transpac race to Hawaii. “Everyone involved in the organisation was exceptionally friendly and helpful, while the camaraderie among the crews was remarkable. We cannot wait to experience it again.”
Hemans says VARUNA is better prepared this year. The team has gained a stronger understanding of the course and raced in other Mediterranean offshore events over the past year to strengthen its performance in both light and heavy conditions.
“We have upgraded both our equipment and our crew, with new sails and new team members,” he added. “Looking at the strength of the competition, we will need all of it to achieve a good result.”
Other returning teams defending their titles include Maks Vrecko’s Slovenian Elan 450 KARPO, as well as France’s Alex Cot and Greece’s Michalis Aftias, racing double-handed aboard the Pogo 50 EROS.
Gregor Stimpfl’s Italian HAGAR V returns for a third appearance. Scuderia 65, which competed in the inaugural AEGEAN 600 in 2021, is also back after returning in 2022 to collect an impressive array of trophies: the overall AEGEAN 600 Trophy as IRC winner, the Poseidon Trophy as ORC winner, and victories in the Maxi, IRC One and ORC One classes.
As with every major offshore race, several crews will target the top position in the overall standings. This year’s Maxi class is particularly strong, with a record 12 entries. The AEGEAN 600 forms part of the International Maxi Association’s Maxi Mediterranean Offshore Challenge.
Among the leading contenders is last year’s line honours winner, the Volvo 70 AIOLOS of Greece’s George Prokopiou, which completed the course in 3 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes and 8 seconds. Other notable entries include Claudio Demartis’ Italian Reichel/Pugh 90 PROSECCO DOC SHOCKWAVE 3 and Artur Skrzyszowski’s Austrian Volvo 65 SELMA RACING – SISI.
The right conditions, sound navigation strategy and faultless sailing can bring other contenders into the race. Yet these are among the fastest boats in the fleet.
The race includes IRC and ORC scoring for monohulls and MOCRA scoring for multihulls, across 16 classes based on size, performance and boat type.
While most crews will race fully crewed, 13 teams will compete double-handed. They range from three of the smallest boats in the fleet, all Dehler 30s: AETHER, skippered by Greece’s Evangelia Delidou; OPTIMUM 4, raced by Periklis Livas and Simon Sweetman of Greece; and Israel’s LAVARO III, sailed by Yam Wirtheim.
At the larger end of the double-handed fleet are Les and Gordon Moeller’s US Pegasus 50 BELLEROPHON, alongside Michalis Aftias and Alex Cot aboard EROS.
Full details of all 77 entries, including boat names, types, skippers, crews, classes and ratings, are available on the official AEGEAN 600 website.
AEGEAN 600 Schedule
- Sunday, 28 June
Complimentary berthing begins at Olympic Marine. - Tuesday, 30 June
The Race Secretariat opens at Olympic Marine. - Wednesday, 1 July to Friday, 3 July
Registration and inspections. - Thursday, 2 July
Safety training seminar. - Friday, 3 July
Warm-up race, skippers’ briefing, media briefing, welcome ceremony and crew reception. - Saturday, 4 July
Visit to the Temple of Poseidon. - Sunday, 5 July, 14:00
Start of the AEGEAN 600 at Sounio. - Saturday, 11 July
Race time limit expires, followed by the prize-giving ceremony and dinner. - Monday, 13 July
Complimentary berthing at Olympic Marine concludes.
On Sunday, 5 July, all boats will gather in the start area south of the Temple of Poseidon at Sounio. Spectators will be able to watch the successive starts from 14:00, as the fleet sets out on its 605-nautical-mile journey.
The demanding route passes 23 Aegean islands and is regarded as one of the most compelling courses in offshore sailing. Alongside the intensity of the race, the event offers a distinctive spirit of camaraderie among crews, extraordinary scenery and a strong sense of Greek hospitality, both before and after the race at Olympic Marine in Lavrion.
Rolex Returns as Official Timepiece
ROLEX will return for a third consecutive year as the Official Timepiece of the AEGEAN 600.
For decades, ROLEX has been associated with pursuits defined by passion, excellence, precision, the pursuit of perfection and teamwork. The AEGEAN 600 is one of the 600-nautical-mile offshore races supported by ROLEX as part of its 71-year association with sailing.
The participating crews face the compelling challenges and distinctive demands of this race, as they do in historic events such as the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the Rolex Fastnet Race and the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
There is a natural connection between ROLEX and international offshore racing, where plotting a successful course requires unwavering commitment, extensive experience and the instinct to respond to shifting winds, strong currents and the force of the sea.
The 605-nautical-mile course covers much of the Aegean Sea. The AEGEAN 600 is also among the comparable offshore races with the highest proportion of foreign-flagged boats, an important factor in promoting Greece internationally.
The AEGEAN 600 is organised by the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club, with the Region of Attica and Olympic Marine as co-organisers, and with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, the Deputy Ministry of Sports and the General Secretariat of Sports.
Race Sponsors and Partners
The race sponsors are the Greek National Tourism Organisation and KORONAKIS, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of synthetic and steel wire ropes.
Supporting partners include the International Maxi Association, the KERAMEIKOS-ATHINAI construction company, PANTAENIUS, the international yacht insurer, TECHNOHULL, manufacturer of rigid inflatable and fibreglass boats, and X-YACHTING, a yacht charter company.
MERCEDES-BENZ is the Official Transportation Partner. The Aegean Yacht Club, based at Olympic Marine, is the event’s collaborating club.
Official suppliers include Torqeedo electric outboard motors, powered by Yamaha, sailing equipment specialist Helly Hansen and Dole bananas.
Media partners include SKAI, the event’s official television broadcaster, Kathimerini, Skipper ONDECK, The YachtBook, Boats & Yachting Guide, Athens Riviera Journal and Istioploikos Kosmos. INTERAD is the event’s internet services sponsor.
