10 years Navarino Challenge: The top sports tourism celebration
10 years Navarino Challenge: The top sports tourism celebration awaits you with new activities!
For the last 10 years, people are united around an institution that promotes exercise, wellness, health, fair play, and the fight against childhood obesity through informing and raising awareness of the Messinian diet benefits. Since 2013, when the event started, with the top Greek-American ultramarathon runner Konstantinos Dean Karnazes as its main ambassador, Navarino Challenge has set the running activity as the event’s integral part. From the very next year, more sports were added evolving Navarino Challenge into Greece’s top sports tourism celebration with more than 30 sports activities, 15 Olympic sports and 45 international and national awards.
On October 21-23, 2022, people of all ages and abilities from Greece and abroad, in the presence of Olympians, will meet once again at Costa Navarino and Pylos for the event’s 10 years celebration, with the key message “sports unites people”. Enjoy here the video with some of the unique moments that Navarino Challenge has offered in the last years.
Kids are embracing the event
Navarino Challenge follows the purpose of the Olympic Movement, which is to contribute towards building a peaceful and better world through promoting the educational value of sport, especially to young people, without discrimination. The event achieves this with the participation of Olympians who are alongside hundreds of children, a large part of whom come from Messinia, in order to learn the basic principles of sports and “fair play”.
From the iconic Voidokolia to the historic Pylos
Navarino Challenge never stops promoting the beauties of Messinia through sports. From the palace of Nestor, to the Palaiokastro, the beach of Voidokoilia, the Gialova lagoon, Sphacteria and Niokastro of Pylos, the event highlights history, medieval castles and traditional flavors, uniting Pylos and the entire region of Messinia. All these years it has brought local Messinian businesses such as Poseidonia Restaurant, Karalis Beach Hotel and Pilia Express closer to sports tourism, highlighting local products and businesses, with the aim of reinforcing the local economy and creating sustainable local societies, so that there is a resilient environment with a future.
Watch here the video.
Polychronidis, Ghavelas, Nikolaidis, Giannakis, Iakovakis and Maltsi in this year’s event
From the celebration of Navarino Challenge we will not be missing great sports personalities who have offered unique moments, of rich emotions and pride to Greece, such as:
- the winner of 6 Paralympic medals and No. 1 in the world ranking of boccia, Grigoris Polychronidis
- the Paralympic gold medalist in the 100m, holder of the world record in the T11 category and the athlete who brought a gold medal from the Olympics to Pylos, 110 years after Tsiklitiras, Nasos Ghavelas
- the two-time Olympic silver medalist in taekwondo, Alexandros Nikolaidis
- Hall of Famer, Olympian & European basketball champion Panagiotis Giannakis
- the Olympian and European champion, Periklis Iakovakis
- the Olympian and EuroBasket MVP, Evina Maltsi
Top names in sports such as:
- Konstantinos Dean Karnazes, Joe Arlauckas, Michalis Triantafyllidis, Dimitris Theodorakakos, Grigoris Souvatzoglou
great athletes with disabilities such as:
- Georgia Kaltsi, George Lazaridis
and unique instructors who stand out for their ethics such as:
- Tess Arlauckas, Christina Flampouri, Christos Gatsis, Dimitris Moros, Alexandros Nikolaidis, Mandy Persaki.
Tennis tournament for everyone from Mouratoglou Tennis Center Costa Navarino
For the first time in the event, the wheelchair tennis athlete and member of the Greek National Team, George Lazaridis, will perform a tennis demonstration, giving people with disabilities an opportunity to try and learn the principles of the Olympic sport.
Participants in the Navarino Challenge will also have the opportunity to take part in the Men’s and Women’s Round Robbin tennis tournaments, in UTS format, which will be held with the support of the Mouratoglou Tennis Center Costa Navarino under the guidance of distinguished coaches. For your participation and more information: tennis(at)costanavarino.com
Ride a bike in an amazing natural environment (30km & Bike tour)
Participants will have the opportunity for the first time to do a 30km Gravel Bike Tour at the Kalamaris Waterfall and taste traditional Messinian flavors on the spot, in collaboration with Navarino Outdoors. For more information: outdoors(at)costanavarino.com
Register now in the running activities
Participants can run in the top 21.1km Greek Half Marathon, crossing the beautiful beach of Voidokoilia, or go for the 10km route or the fun 5km route Powered by Samsung which can even be completed with dynamic walking. For the youngest friends of running, the 1km children’s route will reward children 10-14 years old and kids up to 9 years of age. For the running activities, early bird offers are valid until July 31st, featuring discounts higher than 50% on registrations, while the children’s race is held with free participation. Register now by completing the available form through the following link.
Live the unique sports experience and stay at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino
Enjoy a weekend full of outdoor wellness activities for people of all ages. Book now the event’s accommodation package with half board and live this year’s unique sports and cultural experience. For more information on accommodation packages at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino you may send your email to booking(at)navarinochallenge.com or call Vita N Travel at +30 210 3249070. Check the accommodation packages here.
Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino are the Official Hospitality Sponsors.
Vikos Natural Mineral Water is the Official Water. For the 9th year, it is our flow throughout our dynamic journey.
Samsung Electronics Hellas supports the event for a 6th consecutive year as its Official Technology Partner.
Luanvi is the Official Sports Supplier for a 4th year.
Poseidonia Restaurant and Karalis Beach Hotel are Navarino Challenge’s Official Supporters, from 2013, the event’s first year.
Bombay Sapphire and Pilia Express, the transportation company based in Pylos, are the event’s Partners.
SKAI is the Premium TV Partner.
Explore Messinia, FitnessArt, F45 Barrio Salamanca, Mouratoglou Tennis Center – Costa Navarino, Navarino Golf Academy, Navarino Outdoors, Pilates by Mandy, Red Swim Academy, Swim O’ Clock, Triantafyllidis Beach Arena, Vizantinos target sport club are Navarino Challenge’s Athletic Partners.
The event is assisted by Vita N Travel and Kayak.
Navarino Challenge will take place under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organization.
The event has joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2022 program of the European Commission and is held under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports.
The event is organized by ActiveMedia Group which is also responsible for the event’s Sports Production.
