The year 2022 is about to come to an end, and for Greek sailing, it could easily be dubbed a golden year. Despite the great financial difficulties and the problems arising from the unprecedented election procedures, Greek sportsmen and women were not affected and won 40 medals in world and European championships, of which 30 were in younger age groups.
Based on the total number of medals won in all categories, Greece is considered the top power in the world in sailing!
A noteworthy point is a fact that most of the distinctions are in the younger, developmental groups, something that many foreign coaches pointed out in their statements on the sidelines of the recent match of Optimist’s top athletes in Cyprus.
The 30 medals are a great deposit for the future of the sport because these young athletes will move on to the Olympic categories and start competing with the hope of conquering the ultimate achievement at the Los Angeles Olympics.
In efforts to boost their chances of success in the future, an important aspect of the sport is widespread media coverage. To this end, the amateur Live Streaming team of EOI is playing a pivotal role. It has broadcast live 13 matches in Greece and abroad and has contributed to shining a spotlight on the sport through its platform.
Now anyone interested can watch the sailing races live from anywhere in the world. That is why foreign federations have already discussed with the management of the EIO the possibility of their team taking over the live broadcasting of major international events.
Athletes now have increased incentives to succeed, coaches can easily collect TV material for even more complete training sessions, and financial helps to find sponsors. Little by little the whole structure and philosophy of sailing is changing for the better.