Greek Challenge – Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
A team of internationally acclaimed Greek sailors, The Greek Challenge Team, has arrived in Auckland to participate in the races of the up-coming Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, which will be held in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, from the 31st of January to the 14th of February 2009…
Sail with your heart… win with your mind
Press Release 1/2009
Αthens, 15th January 2009
Greek Challenge Team training in Valencia, Spain.
Since Saturday, January 10th, 2009 the newly formed Greek Challenge Team has been training in Valencia, Spain, in preparation for participation in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series to be held in Auckland, New Zealand from 31st of January. In this event the Greek Team will be called to face top sailors, such as Dean Barker, former holder of both the America’s Cup and Louis Vuitton Cup; Russell Coutts, 3 times Americas Cup winner and Brad Butterworth, skipper and tactician of Team Alinghi, the current Defender of the Cup.
Up to some months ago, this was nothing but a dream for the Greeks. However, at the call to participate in the first ever Greek Team to challenge for the America’s Cup, the response was beyond any expectation. Olympians, World Champions as well as young sailors representing the future of Greek sailing attended the orientation meetings.
Just before the boat left the dock for the first training exercise, Thanassis Pachoumas, Team leader and World Champion in the 49er class, said: “We are all looking forward to stepping into the boat, once we do, everything will fall into place”, expressing both the passion and the expectations of the Team.
Sebastien Col, skipper of the French boat, K-Challenge, which was used by the Greek Challenge Team for training added, “We shall go forward step by step, we shall test the boat ….. the Greek athletes are good sailors”
The comment from Dimitri Nikolopoulos, top AC designer, who also participated in the first training day of the Greek Challenge Team was, “It is a cooperation between French and Greeks …it is nice to watch new “blood” and the Greeks will soon be ready to fly with their own wings”
Sotiris Buseas, CEO of Greek Challenge Team is sending this message from Valencia, “… It is very important that the Greek sailing world and Greek sailors have embraced our efforts in establishing Greece in the world of professional sailing. For our part, we have set our targets years ago, targets that have now started to materialize. It is a unique opportunity for Greece, an opportunity that should engender further support should Greece aim to further develop its tourism and economy. The possibility of hosting an America’s Cup event in Greece could bring more visitors to the country than the Athens 2004 Olympic Games”.
The Greek Challenge Team is scheduled to return from Valencia to Athens on the 18th of January. The Team as well as its sponsors and supporters will be officially presented to friends and the media in Auckland, New Zealand on January 29, 2009.
Greek Challenge Team
Sail with your heart … win with your mind
More Info:
Greek Challenge : www.greekchallenge.com
Commercial Dpt: sponsors@greekchallenge.gr
Marketing and Media Dpt: info@greekchallenge.gr