Ultraoceanman Greece (Did Not Finish) 7 Sep 2019

My Result - DNF
This event is the first ever Ultraoceanman (30km) by the Oceanman family but unfortunately I stopped after 6 hours of swimming (roughly 15km). I suppose I was "last", being the first swimmer to give up.

Eight swimmers started, whilst six officially finished. I'm not disappointed, I returned to Malaysia, back to my elderly mum healthy.

 

A.    Serious Holiday Blues - Best trip ever

Our first trip to Greece and it might have been our best overseas trip ever.

It is a most beautiful country and everyone was nice to us. The coastline, clear dark blue sea, blue skies and mountains were a real sight, so invigorating.
 

The Race was very well organized. The Organisers immediately made us feel welcome. Fellow swimmers and their family members, supporters were all like a happy family to us. Lots of hugs throughout the event.

 

Definitely going back.

 

 

B.    Excellent race organization

The main persons from the organizing team  were:

1. Armandos Linardos (Event Director). Does everything.
   

   
2. Dimitris Kakalikas (Technical Director). Nautical Club Kalamata

Also Dimitris Mavroforakis (Photography and Video)

Dimitris Mavroforakis Excellent photographer and Video

Armandos  also organize the very highly rated Greece Oceanman at Limeni Village, Oitylo Bay (less than 2 hours drive away) and Oceanman Cyprus (9-10 Nov 2019). We went to Limeni Village and it really was a beautiful location. We recommend that event.

Very picturesque location of Oceanman Greece, Limeni Village

Both Armandos and Dimitris are friendly people and excellent at what they do. I am indeed impressed by the unlimited energy of Armandos. On Race Day, from 5.30 a.m. right until after the prize giving dinner, he was very engaged with everything and always had a positive demeanor.

 

Race Location

The race venue is the Nautical (Yacht) Club of Kalamata. I understand the 30km swim has been organized by the Nautical Club for many years. In fact, our Jose Lois Larossa took part in the swim in 2012. In 2019, the event was officially taken over by Oceanman (but the Nautical Club still gives its full support) to make it part of an international brand. On the other hand, the Oitylo Oceanman, has been going on for a few years now under the Oceanman brand. 



View of the Nautical Club from our Hotel, super convenient

The entrance to the Nautical Club of Kalamata

The Nautical Club of Kalamata is quite well known in this part of the world. You can sense that they regularly organize international sporting events.

 

The Club hosted the press conference, race registration and briefing, carbo loading dinner,  meeting point on race day, finish point, prize giving and final dinner.

 

THANK YOU to a dear old man from the Nautical Club 

After I DNFed, the support fishing boat brought us back to the Club. A dear old man was waiting for us at the Club jetty. He took my very heavy bag without asking and carried it all the way to my Hotel.

We didn't communicate a single word, but by his hugs and other actions, I could sense the love emanating from this old man. Thanks buddy, you are a dear.

 

Numerous goodies for participants

 

 

 

The goodie bag contained:

1. Silver pendant with our names engraved to keep for life.
2. Quality back pack.
3. Event T shirt.
4. Colour booklet
5. Two Ultra Oceanman swim caps
6. Ultra Oceanman swim trunks with our individual names printed.
7. 5 gels.
8. Swim float
9. Oceanman bag

Plus swimmers also received:

1. A real fishing boat escort. I noticed their propellers were not fully exposed unlike the fishing boats in Malaysia.
2. Feeder
3. Bananas and water
4. Carbo loading dinner for supporters too.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Delicious hot bagels and coffee at 5.30 am on race morning.
   
6. Van transport to start point at Koroni.
7. Fast speedboat patrol during event.
8. Medical boat patrol. The Event Manager was on this boat. He was well prepared, gave me that shiny cover to keep me warm when I DNFed.
9. The impressive Greek Coastguards came up close to me when I was struggling. I pretended to be OK. That Coastguard ship was huge, felt like I was in the movies.
10. Participant's medal.
    
11. Finisher's trophy for official finishers.
12. Podium trophies
13. Prize giving ceremony with VIPs and participants of a Charity Run applauding us.

Doesn't get any better than this.

 

 

C.    THE PARTICIPANTS (8 SWIMMERS)

The 8 participants with Event Manager (Armandos) and Nautical Club Boss (Dimitris Kakalikas).
L to R : Sofian, Vitaly, Sergey, Aris, May, Igor, Dimitris, Armandos, Sofia and Aris

1. Aris Ioannidis (Greece). Champion. Multiple  medalist at FINA World Masters Swimming Championships. Many National Records. Wonderful man and came with his lovely family.

   

   Aris and Vitaly (First and Second). Congratulations

2. Vitaly Stupak (Ukraine). Second (9:59:15).
3. Igor Makeev (Russia). Finisher.

   

   Igor Makeev (Russia)

4. Sergey Shumov (Ukraine). Finisher.
   
5. Aris Karampas  (Greece). A most wonderful person. I really like him. Finisher.

   

   Aris and Vitaly at the finish

6. May Timani (Lebanon). Official Finisher.

   

   May Timani (Lebanon)

7. Sofia Psilolignou (Greece). DNF but in front of me.
8. Mohammed Sofian Ismail (Malaysia). DNF

D.    THE ACTUAL SWIM

Coffee and delicious bagels at 5.30 am

The 8 swimmers about to start. L to R : Aris, Aris, Sofia, Igor, Vitaly, Sofian, May and Sergey

We met at 5.30 am at the Kalamata Nautical Club and took a cramped van ride to the town of Koroni. We started quite accurately at 7.31 am.

The fisherman skipper who escorted me. Very nice man.

Me and my escort boat

The sea conditions were actually quite OK for the first 12 or 13km. The water temperature was just nice (maybe 25 or 26 degrees). But I just wasn't feeling that good, sorry. I suppose I was jet lagged arriving just two days earlier after 20 hours of travelling by plane and car. I still had not got in a reasonable sleep.

My joints had intense pain with each stroke and sea conditions were decidedly getting much tougher. My escort informed I had passed the half way point but I replied I was going to stop in a few minutes, which would make it 6 hours of swimming.

My most favourite swim shot ever. Thank you Dimitris

They pulled me into the fishing boat and that was it. It was still a long long way to go and the sea was getting rougher and rougher.

The Greek Coastguard came to check me. The fast speedboat came to check whether I needed to return quickly, no I was ok.

The medical boat with the Event Manager came to check up on me. I was fine, I just remained on the fishing boat and slowly headed back to the Nautical Club.

Not my day.

E.    PRIZE GIVING  AND DINNER

 Prize giving was at the basketball court of the Kalamata Nautical Club. Awards for a  Charity Run was also held and they were very nice giving all of us polite applause.

Sofia and myself (they were nice to give us  a mention)

Aris Ioannidis, Champion

Dinner was fun, family members joined in

F.   The Recommended Hotel - Pharae Palace Hotel 

I feel that the Pharae Palace Hotel is the best Hotel I have ever stayed at. It is located across the road from the Nautical Club. Has its own beach, towels, service which is just PERFECT for training and recovering.

The Hotel is close to the Marina and other nice places to eat.

The room is SOUND PROOF and comfortable.

The roof top restaurant has probably the best view in town. The buffet breakfast is sumptuous and then you can come back for a romantic dinner.

The balcony of our room also has a view of the mountain.

I think this is the best hotel I have ever stayed.

 

G.   SIGHT SEEING - PELOPONNESE REGION 

The Peloponnese is a large peninsula at the southern part of the Greece mainland. With places like Sparti, Olympia and Mycenae, its history goes back more than 3,000 years and was actually more important and older than Athens.

The Corinth Canal which has effectively made the Peloponnese Region an island.

In 1893 the Corinth Canal was built at the narrow Isthmus of Corinth but has not really been used.

There are many beautiful beaches, mountains, caves, castles, archeological sites and the surrounding sea is a beautiful blue and clear.

A most wonderful place to drive around.

 

H.    OVERALL IMPRESSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

It was one big happy family, as said by second placed finisher, Vitaly in his Facebook posting. The Organisers, Greek swimmers and their supporters all made us feel incredibly welcome. I don't think I have participated in a sporting event where everyone is close to each other. Well Thailand is amazing too.

 

The country is beautiful, has history coming out of your ears, clear and beautiful sea and almost everyone speaks some English.

 

So I would totally recommend Greece for visiting, the UltraOceanman at Kalamata, Oceanman Oitylo, Oceanman Cyprus (same Event Manager) and the Pharae Palace Hotel for staying.

 

Thank you

Next Event
5 October 2019. Perhentian Around Island Challenge 16km