Ready to set sail: Final countdown to the AEGEAN 600

by Dobbs Davis/AEGEAN 600 6 Jul 11:05 NZST 6 July 2025

On Saturday, the 60 teams assembled at Olympic Marine for Sunday's start of the AEGEAN 600 are using their final pre-race day to make last checks on their rigging, sails, and electronic systems, provision for the days they expect to be at sea, and handle the many other tasks needed to prepare for the 605-mile odyssey ahead.

On board the all-female DoubleHanded team of Elisabetta Maffei and Alice Baldon from Italy, things were feeling in order after a successful test sail on their Class Mini 6.50 25Nodi - the smallest boat in the fleet at only 21 feet.

"I have been dreaming of this race for two years," said Maffei. "And we are finally here, with my little - but strong - boat ready to race against the other big boats. I think this is a very beautiful race with its mixture of history, sport, and weather."

Another new team facing more pre-race challenges is led by Chris Hemans from the USA. After visiting the race last year, Hemans was inspired to return, despite having sailed thousands of miles on the Pacific. This year he's here with a mixed European and American team aboard his Cookson 50 VARUNA.

"We're a little behind for a variety of reasons related to travel logistics, some problems with the canting keel that were finally fixed today, and a few new sails we have not even seen yet. Still, we're upbeat and the team is enthusiastic about the challenge."

Another new team was glad to be able to get out on the water today. Maurice "Prof" O'Connell, racing aboard Pete Smyth's Ker 46 SEARCHER from Ireland, explained why:

"We know this boat well, but it's a good thing we tested our reefing system, we found some issues and can now fix them before the start."

Manfred Zeissel and Eveline Haselsteiner from Austria were more relaxed than many of the visiting teams. Their Pogo 12.5 FRANZI is already based at Olympic Marine, and aside from fixing their Code 0 sail yesterday, preparations were mostly complete for their five-person team.

"We normally sail this boat with just the two of us, so we feel like having some extra help will make the race a little easier," said Zeissel. "The boat is very good in strong winds, so we are not too worried and can focus on sailing the best we can around this course."

Crew member and coach Andreas Hanakamp added:

"The real challenges won't come from strong winds, but from wind shadows behind the islands. This is where the race will be won or lost."

Another Austrian entry, Guenther Krainer's Solaris 44 TRINITY+ AQUA NOMIS, is being sailed by an all-female team of 13 led by skipper Julia Stelzl, who has been preparing for this race for months.

"We wanted to take on the next challenge - 600 miles non-stop - and we heard a lot of amazing things about this race. Racing in sunny weather with good wind, and the route is really well-picked and well-set."

Among the returning teams is Yves Grosjean, skipper of the NEO 430 Roma AFAZIK IMPULSE from France.

"I've entered this race twice. It's such an experience that we wanted to come back and have another go."

This afternoon, many sailors who had completed their preparations took part in a tour organized by the race committee to the Ancient Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion — the site of tomorrow's race start. With panoramic views of the Aegean, the 2,500-year-old temple serves as a powerful symbol of the region's rich maritime heritage and the deeper spirit of the AEGEAN 600.

Race Start Schedule - Sunday

• 14:00 - Multihull Division
• 14:25 - Maxi Class
• 14:50 - Remaining Fleet

The race will begin with a short windward leg to a buoy just off Cape Sounion, before the fleet heads south on its first long leg toward Milos, then onward through the Santorini caldera — one of the race's most iconic landmarks.

Track the Fleet Live

Spectators can follow the race in real-time via the YB Tracker at aegean600.com/tracking