'Regatta for Peace': Over 120 sailors in Cyprus’s largest amateur race

(ANSA) - ROMA, 19 OTT - Last Saturday, the stretch of sea between Larnaca and Ayia Napa became the race course for the “Regatta for Peace,” organized by the Italian Embassy in Nicosia in collaboration with the Cyprus Sailing Federation and the marinas of Larnaca and Ayia Napa. Twenty-four boats lined up at the starting line with over 120 crew members representing 13 different nationalities: an all-time record for participation, making the “Regatta for Peace” the largest amateur regatta ever organized in Cyprus. The late-morning start from Larnaca Marina took place in the presence of Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras, who welcomed the crews and emphasized the message of peace that the event aims to promote, as well as Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis. The “Regatta for Peace” was the first European stop on the international roadshow leading up to the America’s Cup, which will arrive in Italy for the first time in July 2027, in Naples. It helped shine a spotlight on this important event while highlighting the value of sports diplomacy, which is being increasingly promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We have dedicated this regatta to peace, the most cherished gift on earth,” said Italy’s Ambassador to Cyprus, Antonella Cavallari, as she opened the event, which—just a few hours before the finish—brought together participants and numerous dignitaries at the Ayia Napa Marina Convention Center. “Peace is the founding value of diplomacy—indeed, the very reason diplomacy exists. And sports diplomacy is one of its most important tools: sports convey a powerful message through their values—fair play, respect for the rules, mutual respect, cooperation, and friendship. Today more than ever, these are the values that should guide relations between nations and their peoples,” the ambassador concluded. The Minister of Tourism, Kostas Koumis, expressed great appreciation for the event, having attended from the morning onward and at the subsequent gala dinner. Among the guests in attendance were Cypriot champion Pavlos Kontides, a two-time Olympic silver medalist in the Laser/ILCA 7 class; Ihor Matviienko, the Ukrainian Olympic champion in the 470 class at the 1996 Atlanta Games; and Easy Swiss, the Israeli Olympic champion. The day concluded at the Aya Resort, where the awards ceremony took place. The overall winner of the regatta was Typhoon, skippered by Jiovannis Pikis, followed by First Light, skippered by Robert Clunis, and Judith, skippered by Easy Suissa, who also took the top three spots in Class A. In Class B, “Infinity,” skippered by Philippos Haralambous, took first place, followed by “St. Michael,” skippered by Sergej Lysionok, and “Marianna,” skippered by Marios Karpis.
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