An event-celebration for the Nautical Club of Ioannina

The sportsmen and women who achieved distinctions last year in Greek and international rowing competitions as well as veteran athletes and coaches and its founding members were honored by the Nautical Club of Ioannina yesterday in a special event.

The event opened with the president of N.O.I. Nikos Exarchou, who paid tribute to the veterans of Gianniotiki Rowing. “If it weren’t for them, many of us wouldn’t be where we are today. They paved our own future with their vision. The N.O.I. it wouldn’t exist without them”, he said characteristically, sending them a big thank you.

On behalf of the founding members of the Group, Aristotelis (Telis) Kazantzis attended and was honored, who excitedly emphasized that his soul and heart are always in N.O.I. Mr. Exarchou also conveyed greetings from the other living founding member of the Group, George Nicolaidis, who did not attend due to health problems. As veterans, the long-time coach of the Club, Nikos Bousios, who asked “that we all put our backs in the difficult task of NOI”, Giorgos Paschalis – “Bart”, Anastasios Sklivanitis, Fanis and Giorgos Papaspyrou, while a special mention was made to the late coach Yiannis Symponis.

Referring to the athletes of the Group, the President of N.O.I. emphasized that “we owe our children love, respect, attention and what we must ensure for them is that they come to the Club area happy and leave doubly happy”, while he also made a special mention of the parents, saying that they also deserve an award “as they hurt, worry and spend for their children”. According to the relevant announcement, he promised that the Administration of N.O.I. will do everything it can to relieve the families of its athletes from any financial burden.

Mr. Exarchou said on behalf of the Board of Directors a big thank you to the coaches of the Club while announcing that the NOI is going to operate sections for athletes with disabilities in rowing and canoeing Kayak. “We have to deliver N.O.I. in the next generations healthy and bigger than it is today”, he concluded.

The member of the Board of Directors was also present at the event. of the Hellenic Rowing Federation, Costas Papagiannis, who emphasized the need for all involved bodies to join forces in order for Ioannina to become an international rowing center hosting major sports events such as the 2019 Pan-European Youth Championships.

The Naval Club event was attended by, among others, the vice-regional governors Eleni Peristeri and Vassilis Gorgolis, the mayor of Zitsa Michalis Pliakos, the vice-mayors of Ioannina Stefanos Sintos and Petros Palaschas, the regional police director of Epirus Vassilis Muselimis, the president of the Poultry Cooperative of Ioannina Andreas Dimitriou, the president of the Nautical Club of Kastoria Panagiotis Mitroudis, Antonia Kortzi, member of the E.D. PEAKI et al.