Just an update from the 2011 Greek Rib Championship .
Material from
e-ENPLO Nikos Papanikolaou, the Rhodian Rib Club (R.O.TA.)
. Leros Rib club web page, Chania web page and Sea hawks Athens Club web page.
First race Rhodes island on May
The first set of races counting for this year Hellenic Rib Race Championship (Viper Ribs) was held in Rhodes with great success during the weekend 7 and 8 of May offering a very interesting spectacle to a large number of local visitors and tourists and intense moments of excitement and adrenaline rush as the competing crews took their best shot to reach the podium.
This year Championship comes to counterweight the depression shaped by the bad state of the Greek economy and the desperation in the marine industry as the crash in the domestic demand, the extra tax charges imposed on the boat owners and the rally on fuel prices have squashed sales to an unprecedented record low.
In this regard, R.O.T.A. Rib Club, the hosting club, as the most experienced organizer had to elevate the spirits and generate the momentum to drive the whole course of the Championship that will be carried out in three other places (Leros, Chania, Athens) before its completion later this year.
In deed, R.O.T.A.’s members worked enthusiastically and excellently as a team along with their event leader mr Kostas Theoulakis , on my opinion the mastermind of the Rib Races in Greece, aiming their efforts besides on their devotion to the organizing on allowing the two day races to be broadcasted by the local and nationally wide TV media as well as to be published in the press, field magazines and webs.
The communication with media and journalists was excellent. In particular, the local channel TV4 broadcasted the races live in both days. Airborne video and photos were obtained by the helicopter flew over the racing fields both days. Many sponsors supported this event and the major three being the Water Park Faliraki, the Blue Star Ferries and the Viper Ribs (naming the Championship).
Also the cooperation with the local authorities (Municipality and Prefecture) and the port police was smooth and seamless to the point that Kostas Theoulakis said “ the fact that we were given the permission to use the central harbor of Rhodes for the circuit race (the second day) can explain everything”. All special guests, journalists (there I was!), support team members, and co-organizers coming from the other Rib Clubs, we were all treated by the great hospitality and the very friendly service of the Luxury Hotel Esperos Palace situated in the Faliraki bay (Sponsor).
Nikos Papanikolaou
Photos
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Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket
Video
Rhodes Rib Race 2011- The Offshore - YouTube
Rib capsizes - crew rescued - YouTube
Leros racing weekend
Video
Chania Racing weekend
It is early morning hours of September 9th in the harbor of Souda (Crete) and the darkness still prevails when I disembark from the ferry boat of ANEK to catch the local bus. Half a hour later I arrive at the center of Chania and immediately I am heading to “Iordanis” the traditional local candy store offering the “bougatsa”, a delicious local speciality the best breakfast you can ever find in these early hours. Not long after I am sipping my coffee looking at the wonderful venetian harbor enjoying the view of the dawning sky as the light shyly made its way through until the first rays of the rising sun glitter the Lighthouse, the city’s emblem. All the above description is an old habit of mine, I can dare to say a ritual I systematically keep every time I visit Chania.
In a while my cell phone started ringing. It was my friend Stefanos Venetakis, who was expecting me and immediately we set an appointment to meet few minutes later at the Park Ferme where all the racing Ribs were kept. Tomorrow and the day after the 3th phase of the Hellenic (Greek) Viper Rib Championship 2011 is about to take place in Chania and Stefanos is the event leader alongside George Kelaidis another friend of mine as well. Both men coordinate the organizing team of Chania Rib Club, the host of the event, which has competence and experience doing the job.
Later in the evening Stefanos Venetakis and his team brief the racing crews in the historic building of KAM in the harbor of Chania while right after the meteorologist mr Lekkas informs them about the most recent weather updates. The weather both days is expected sunny with the state of the sea to be calm in the first day at the Circuit Race but choppier during the second at the Offshore one. It adds to safety that the crews are well aware of the weather conditions in the firsthand. A small party is taking place at the cafe before the night comes through and I return to my Hotel, the Luxurious 5* Panorama at Kalamaki (4km away from Chania) a treat by the organizers.
The Chania Rib Races were completed successfully, offering an interesting spectacle to a big crowd of people while for me personally was a fat chance to visit once again this magnificent place and meet some good old friends.
Nikos Papanikolaou
Photos
Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket
e-ENPLO:
Video
Chania Rib Race 2011 - YouTube
Athens race the last one
The final 4th phase of the Hellenic Viper Ribs Championship 2011 was held successfully in Athens (Nea Makri) on the weekend of October 1st and 2th. These races offered the last chance for each of the competing crews to either upgrade or secure their position in the Championship by succeeding a victory in this particular event. This intensified the thrill so I came to witness what was about to be unfolded there by myself.
The Sea Hawks Rib Club Athens, the organizer of this two day racing event did a thoroughly good management job by keeping everything on schedule and on track and by not allowing any difficult situation to emerge even though the sea conditions were far from optimal. In the open sea of South Evoikos gulf the wind was blowing at an intensity of 6 beaufort so the organizers moved the racing terrain towards the leeward bay of Schinias where the wave activity was much less. The event was hosted in the installations of Nautical Club of Nea Makri where the slip and the Park Ferme were situated
Nikos Papanikolaou
Video
Athens Rib Race 2011- Offshore - YouTube
Prize giving ceremony on Athens International Boat Show.
Video on National TV
Photos
Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket
The official Face book page for the Hellenic Rib Championship @
ROTA RIB CLUB -
