The top sports tourism event “Santorini Experience” is only a few days away. Between October 6th and 8th 2017, running and swimming races will be held for a 3rd consecutive year at the enchanting island of Cyclades.
The established meet & greet event will take place on Friday October 6th at noon (12:00pm) at the Alafouzos Sport store in Fira. The event will be attended by the Greek-American ultramarathon Dean Karnazes, who visits the island and the event for the first time and will run in the 15 km race. Everyone attending the meet & greet will have the opportunity to get autographs from the athlete-phenomenon who will sign his latest book “The Road to Sparta” by Key Books.
Top professional athletes, as well as lots of amateur swimmers and runners, will also attend the event, as registrations have already broken any previous record!
One of the athletes who have participated in all the events so far is the Greek open water champion, Kelly Araouzou, will also participate in this year’s event. Along with her, several members of the National Team will also be present, such as Antonis Fokaidis, Giorgos Arniakos and Dimitris Negris and in total more than 10 Greek swimming champions will participate for the first time in an open water race.
The great Hungarian swimmer Attila Manyoki, will also takes part for the first time. The 44-year-old distinguished athlete in open water swimming, with a great number of successes, belongs to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF). Manyoki has completed hundreds of marathon swimming races and has twice covered the 90km distance. In 2008, he swam 79.6km along Lake Balaton between Balatonkenese and Keszthely in 25 hours and 32 minutes.
Click here for the final and detailed schedule of the event.
Information for the participants
For the best service and transfer of the participants in Santorini Experience at the starting points of the running routes on Saturday October 7 in Oia and the swimming route on Sunday October 8 at the old port of Fira, the event will arrange the following bus services: On Saturday October 7, 2017, there will be two services by bus (from 06:30 am and 08:30 am) from Fira (Bus station) to Oia (desalination plant) that will serve the participants wishing to be at the starting point of the running routes. Accordingly, the return of the participants will take place on another route at 12:30 am, from Oia to Fira.
In addition, those wishing to move on Sunday, October 8, 2017, from Oia to the old port of Fira, will be served by the bus that will start from Passagio Santorini Oia at 08:30 am. Please note that the transfer of swimmers to the volcano starts at 09:30, from the old port.
Online registrations for swimming and running have closed and registrations will only be made at the Alafouzos Sport store, from Thursday October 5th.
From Thursday, October 5 to Saturday, October 7, 2017, all participants will be able to receive their numbers from Alafouzos Sport store (hours: 09:00-21:00). Alternatively the running participants may also receive their numbers one hour before the start of their route on Saturday October 7, 2017, from the desalination plant in Oia while the swimming participants may also receive their numbers one hour before their start on Sunday October 8, 2017, from the old port in Fira.
“Santorini Experience” will take place under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Swimming Federation with the co-organization of the Municipality of Santorini, DAPPOS and Active Media Group.
Official Hashtag: #SantoriniExperience