The multiple-award winning event the Navarino Challenge, in the Peloponnese, continues to add new challenges and activities to its program, by bringing together sports aficionados and athletes of all ages.
The Navarino Challenge will honour the leading Greek Olympic and world champion in the 400 metres hurdles, Periklis Iakovakis, for his overall contribution to sports and his ethics during the workshop, to be held in parallel with the event.
Iakovakis, who is considered an exemplary athlete, is the Greek national record holder, having won the bronze medal at the World Athletics Championship (Paris, 2003), the gold medal at the European Athletics Championship (Gothenburg, 2006), eighth place in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, a gold and a bronze medal in the Mediterranean Games (Tunis, 2001 and Mersin, 2013 in 4x400m) and nine national championships. He was named top athlete in the world in his sport in 2006 by one of the leading athletics magazines, the US’s Track and Field News. He is the only Greek athlete who has held this honour to date.
This year’s new challenges include swimming, where sea lovers of all ages will have the opportunity to swim without timing and competition in the beautiful Bay of Navarino, in the picturesque port of Pylos.
The participants of the Navarino Challenge will also be invited to swim, on Saturday 12 September, a special one mile swimming route (1.6 km), while children will swim the half mile route (0.8 km). Olympic champion and twice world champion swimmer Spyros Gianniotis is the ambassador, while the federal swimming coach, Nikos Gemelos, is responsible for the technical direction and design of the swimming routes.
Swimming will take place with the assistance of Pylos-Nestor Municipality, the Port Authority of Pylos, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association ‘Nestor’, Explore Messinia and Aqua Divers Club. At the end of the activities, the Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development will familiarise the world with traditional Greek cuisine and local products, while a demonstration race will follow with Optimist and Laser boats by the ‘Nestor’ Association.
The event will also offer climbing courses for those staying at The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino, by the certified climbing instructor George Malamas. In particular, on Thursday, 10 September, the mapping of climbing routes for 2016 will be implemented, at the historical Sfaktiria islet that acts as a breakwater for the port of Pylos. On Friday (11/09), Saturday (12/09) and Sunday (13/09), the climbing action is transferred to Navarino Rocks, the indoor climbing wall of Costa Navarino. The climbing wall (100 m2) offers a wide range of climbing routes for children and adults, for both beginners and more advanced levels. The professional team, the quality of facilities and the fun atmosphere provide a safe, welcoming and encouraging environment for climbers of all levels.
The challenge includes a rich program full of activities for parents and children which includes running, swimming, climbing, tae kwon do, pilates, bike and martial arts.
The event is held under the auspices of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics of Harokopio University of Athens and the Greek National Tourism Organisation, with the support of Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino as well as the Municipalities of Pylos-Nestor, Trifilia, for a third consecutive year.
The ever-innovative Navarino Challenge offers a great range of options to those wishing to register in its activities in addition to the registrations taking place on the official page of the event via viva.gr
For more information, head over to www.navarinochallenge.com and www.facebook.com/events/509478955873290 or call Active Media on +30 210 9343020.