This year's top sports tourism and wellness event, Navarino Challenge, was held from October 18-20 and highlighted sports, wellness, longevity, and gastronomy. In its 12th year, the event gathered amateur and professional athletes of all ages and abilities to participate in 63 activities at Costa Navarino, in The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, W Costa Navarino, and the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor.

More than 4,000 participations in the 12th Navarino Challenge ranged in age from 1 month to 72 years, representing 28 countries from 4 continents, including among others USA, Canada, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, South Korea, Australia, UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

The event showcased through its 2024 activities Navarino Bay, the island of Sphacteria, the Gialova Lagoon, Voidokilia Beach (which are both part of Natura 2000 network), Niokastro, and Paleokastro, as well as Pylos, Chora, Methoni, and Koroni.

Sports Unites People

Navarino Challenge brought together amateurs and professionals who shared the value of fair play alongside Olympians. Participants trained side by side with major sports personalities, Olympians and Paralympians, including Lefteris Petrounias, Pavlos Kagialis, Antigoni Ntrismpioti, Periklis Iakovakis, Dimitris Papanikolaou, Evina Maltsi, Grigoris Polychronidis, Nasos Ghavelas champions including Vasiliki Millousi, Kostas Katsouranis, Joe Arlauckas, they met great athletes such as Konstantine “Dean” Karnazes, Michalis Triantafyllidis, Liza Triantafyllidi, Stavros Triantafyllidis, Mike Styllas, Panagiotis Kotronaros, George Dimoulas, Alexandros Tzoumakas, Georgia Kaltsi, Giorgos Lazaridis, Jo Manta while trained and led into the secrets of their activities from Georgios Chatziefstathiou, Antonis Tantalidis, Dimitris Moros, Mandy Persaki, Valia Moralis, Aggelos Giakoumidis and Efi Chatzigeorgaki.  



A Night Full of Emotions

• Two years after the passing of two-time Olympic silver medalist in taekwondo Alexandros Nikolaidis, the event, along with his family, presented the 2nd “Alexandros Nikolaidis” award, established by the Hellenic Olympic Committee and Navarino Challenge. In the presence of his wife Dora Tsambazi, and their children, the award was given to the Olympian and two-time European champion in racewalking, Antigoni Ntrismpioti, who stands out for her ethics and serves as a role model for young people. The event was also attended by the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Mr. Spyros Capralos, who spoke about Alexandros.
• Holders of 7 Paralympic medals in boccia, Grigoris Polychronidis and Katerina Patroni, along with their daughter, were honored by Ms. Mary Karageorgou, External Affairs Director of Novo Nordisk Hellas, for promoting sports as a family role model.  
• The distinguished climber who led the first Greek expedition to Everest 20 years ago, Mike Styllas, was awarded by The North Face’s Country Manager, Mr. Elias Kanakis.
• Olympian and two-time European champion Dimitris Papanikolaou was awarded by Ms. Maira Passia, Group Corporate Communications & Sustainability Director of MOTODYNAMICS Group, and Mr. Antonios Markoutsas, Business Development Manager of SIXT Greece. Dimitris Papanikolaou captivated the audience with his speech on inclusion, inviting his daughter Aria on stage.  
• The European champion and Euro 2004 Legend Kostas Katsouranis was honored by Mr. Thanos Kyriazis, Managing Director of Miele Hellas.
• The legend of Greek climbing who led the first Greek expedition to Everest, Panagiotis Kotronaros, was honored by Mr. Ilias Liberis, Brand and Media Manager of Vikos S.A.
• Olympic bronze medalist in sailing Pavlos Kagialis was awarded by Ms. Maira Passia, Group Corporate Communications & Sustainability Director of MOTODYNAMICS Group  
• Olympic gold and two-time bronze medalist Lefteris Petrounias was awarded by Mr. Giorgos Panageas, Facilities Management Director of TEMES.
• Finally, Paralympic two-time gold medalist in the 100m T11, Nasos Ghavelas, a continuator of the Olympian Kostis Tsiklitiras, who hails from Pylos, was honored by the Mayor of Pylos-Nestor, Mr. Panagiotis Karvelas. Nasos Ghavelas spoke with great strength about his races and how he envisioned them during training, inspiring everyone to continue pursuing their dreams in life.

See the running event results HERE!

• Navarino Bay Challenge (Rappelling) powered by The North Face took place for the first time on the island of Sphacteria, in the Bay of Navarino, led by the experienced Navarino Outdoors team. This event was supported by top mountaineer, climber and The North Face ambassador, Panagiotis Kotronaros, who led the National Mountaineering Team during the first successful ascent of a Greek expedition to Mount Everest. All participants were transported to Sphacteria with comfort and safety aboard the premium vessels of Elite Boats.
• Kayaking on the island of Sphacteria powered by YAMAHA, part of the MOTODYNAMICS Group, with the support of Moraitis Watersports.
• 2km walk powered by Novo Nordisk from the house of Olympian Kostis Tsiklitiras to Niokastro, with participants enjoying the sunset at Tsichli Baba and the island of Sphacteria.
• Skateboarding supported by the dynamic Free Movement Skateboarding team, a “family” that always brings joy and helps you get up when you fall, took place in Pylos, Koroni, and Chora.

The three-day series of events concluded on Sunday, October 20, in the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor with:

• The historical reenactment of the Battle of Navarino, known as “Navarinia” with crowds filling the streets of Pylos.

Navarino Challenge, in collaboration with the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor and the MOTODYNAMICS Group, organized a series of educational activities:  

• Diversity Workshop powered by MOTODYNAMICS Group, featuring former international basketball player and European champion, MOTODYNAMICS ambassador Dimitris Papanikolaou. The workshop was held for elementary, middle, and high school students of the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor.  
• Road Safety Seminar titled “Drive Change Move Safe” led by motorsports coach Thanasis Chountras, for high school students from Pylos and Methoni.
• Book Donation to Tsiklitiras House: Through the Library4All organization, the library at Tsiklitiras House in Pylos was enriched. Attendees were encouraged to donate a book in good condition, and MOTODYNAMICS Group committed to donating the same number of new books to Library4All. The Open Library initiative took place at Tsiklitiras House, with the presence of the Mayor of Pylos-Nestor Panagiotis Karvelas, educator and founding member of Library4All Eleni Geroulanou, and MOTODYNAMICS ambassador Dimitris Papanikolaou, collecting over 70 books.

Moreover an:

• Awareness and Information Session on childhood, adolescent, and adult obesity powered by Novo Nordisk, was organized with participation from Novo Nordisk Hellas External Affairs Director Mary Karageorgou, endocrinologist-diabetologist Dr. Spyros Sapounas (vice-president of the National Organization for Medicines [EOF] and former vice-president of the Hellenic National Public Health Organization [EODY]), nutritionist-dietician Aspasia Tsoka, and ultramarathon runner Joe Manta, the first Greek woman to finish the Spartathlon this year (246km).

Environmental Actions – First Event with Medals Made from Recyclable Materials

The following environmental initiatives were part of the event:

• In a world where environmental sustainability is more critical than ever, Navarino Challenge, with the help of Team Recycle, took significant steps to transform plastic waste into something truly valuable: medals for participants. Navarino Challenge became the first event in Greece and the second in Europe to offer medals made from 100% recyclable materials to participants in the 21.1km, 10km, and 5km races. Our mission was simple: to create beautiful, durable medals from high-density recycled plastic (HDPE) collected from homes and schools. By repurposing these materials instead of sending them to landfills, we transformed potential waste into symbols of achievement and resilience. Each medal tells a story—not only of the participant’s hard work and success but also of our shared commitment to a more sustainable future.
• During the awards ceremony, Miele held a contest for a premium Miele coffee machine. Participants were given an original bracelet made from seed paper. This bracelet didn't need to be thrown away; when planted in soil, the paper biodegrades, releasing the seeds into the earth, where they bloom.
• The cleaning of Gialova Beach, powered by the MOTODYNAMICS Cleaning Team, with the participation of athletes, ambassadors, and executives of the MOTODYNAMICS Group, in collaboration with Moraitis Watersports and volunteers from the Athens University of Economics and Business.
• The cleaning of the running routes by the team of the event's Sustainability Partner, p³=Plastic Pollution Prevention.
• All packaging used during the running events was recycled.
• Recyclable material bags were provided to participants.

Website: www.navarinochallenge.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Navarinochallenge
Instagram: http://instagram.com/navarinochallenge
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NavarinoC
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NavarinoChallenge
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@navarino_challenge

Hi, my name is Thanasi and I'm a sixteen year old high school student. Thanks for the space, Jack! 

Due to the fact that last weekend I wasn’t in Athens, but on the tip of Mount Menalo on an International Award trip, (a.k.a. camping for survival). I had already premeditated that the weekend after would be one to have fun.  Fall is definitely in the air but that is no reason not to stay outdoors and enjoy the cool, crisp evening in the northern suburbs.

So, the hoodie came into the picture, and off with my mates I was bound for Kifissia. This was, of course, after completing all assigned homework that had not been done during the week (my mother will read this). I met up with a few friends for coffee in Kifissia at the world renowned ‘Starbucks’.  As night was falling we decided to eat at ‘Boutique Kalamaki’ in which in the end, met all of our expectations.  There’s nothing like some fast food protein to satisfy your taste buds.

Whilst we’re getting to break it up, I received a phone call from a friend who informed us that he would be playing music that evening - this indeed got us all excited which meant that we weren’t going to call it a night just yet. Fortunately, he was playing DJ at ‘Look Up’ in Nea Erythrea which was having its closing event for the season. Although there was a bittersweet feeling -the farewell of summer and the welcoming of winter, the sounds of R& B were a delight.

No matter the season, rain or shine, the northern suburbs have what it takes to fulfill whatever appetite, even for an indecisive teenager!

Mount Pilion is home to 24 beautiful villages. Why: The unique combination of superb natural surroundings, dense greenery, cascading waterfalls and gorges, romantic bays with crystal clear waters and outstanding local architecture make for a “four seasons’ destination” that attracts visitors all year long.

Must visit: Pilion boasts some of the most famous traditional villages in Greece; set against an idyllic backdrop of shimmering olive groves, dense forests and lush fruit orchards, these stone-built villages are the true gems of Pilion. Visit the lovely old village of Tsagaráda –home to a 1,000-year-old plane tree; Makrinitsa, the so-called balcony of Pilion, which affords magnificent views over the Aegean; Portaria, which thanks to its impressive traditional mansions has successfully managed to preserve its traditional colour untouched by time, and Chánia, with its famous ski centre.

Activities on offer: Explore this unspoiled world on horseback! The horseback trip starts in Argalasti, an attractive village in the south of the peninsula. From here you can reach beaches on both sides of the peninsula – open sea or calm gulf. The cobblestone trails between villages lead you back through time and are ideal for rides on horseback. The main trails out of Argalasti lead to many interesting locations, such as Kalamos (6 km to the west) and Lefokastro (6 km to the NW). Ski down snowy slopes at the ski resort of Agriolefkes near the village of Chánia or walk along narrow winding cobbled paths known as calderimia. The Chánia-Kissós path is one of the most popular among trekking lovers.

Hot tips:

• Discover one of Pilion’s best kept secrets: the tiny, exquisite cove of Fakistra; the highlight is a stream that springs from the mountain and flows into the sea. It is rather difficult to get down to it but it certainly worth it; even in winter the setting is very romantic; pure magic.
• Follow a scenic route from the village of Milies...by train! Take the legendary Pelion stream train, a narrow-gauge rail track built more than a century ago by the father of the surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico, which crosses stone bridges and passes through rugged landscapes; all the stations are of unique architectural interest.
• Visit the village of Damouchari, where several scenes from the movie Mamma Mia were filmed!

Accommodation: Ancient old mansions of traditional Pelian architecture that used to belong to rich merchants have been turned into cosy guesthouses offering an exquisite atmosphere that is difficult to find anywhere else in Greece.

Famous local products: Taste mouth-watering pies and home-made “spoon sweets” (a traditional dessert consisting usually of fruit preserved in syrup) produced by local women’s associations with all kinds of local fresh fruit!

Zagorochoria villages

Where: At the heart of Epirus, nestling among the steep and snowy slopes of the Týmfi mountain range.

Why: A complex of 46 picturesque traditional villages built in a magical setting amidst pine and fir trees with one of the most beautiful and diverse ecosystems in Europe. Its unique traditional architecture, impressive stone mansions and undulating, natural forest surroundings are the perfect ingredients for an unparalleled destination, ideal for action-packed holidays!

Must visit: Visit Zagóri’s most picturesque villages; Monodéndri is a restored stone village. Stroll down its narrow streets past the village’s stone courtyards; take the rocky trail starting from the central square that leads you to Vickos Gorge, which is awe-inspiringly deep! From there, admire the Monastery of St. Paraskevi nestling on a rock overlooking the Vickos Gorge. Mikro and Megalo Papigko, Aristi, Kipi and Dilofo are just some of the precious gems of Zagori. Gaze at the beautiful stone bridges which connect the villages. These are architectural masterpieces of superb craftsmanship which are often associated with legends and other local traditions.

Activities on offer: Trekking lovers will have the chance to hit a variety of mountain trails in Zagorochoria. Cross the Vickos Gorge following the route from Monodéndri north to Vikos- Vikos to Pápigo, and Monodéndri south to Kipi, a traditional small village with old arched stone bridges. The route is quite long (it lasts at least 5 hours), but it is a very rewarding experience! Starting from Pápigo you can take a much easier, three-hour trail; follow the path leading to Astráka refuge and then head for the summits of Astráka and Lápatos.

Hit the trails that connect the villages Pápigo and Mikró Pápigo through the Vikos-Aoós National Forest; go for an invigorating swim in the two natural forest lakes. The village of Vovoúsa in eastern Zagori is ideal for bird watching as it is located near the National Park of Valia Kalda, a protected forest populated with rare species of flora and fauna.

Hot tips:

• Follow the mountain trails to Kípi, an ideal mountain tourism destination: cross its two rivers (Vikákis and Baniótikos) using the Kaloyerikó (or Plakidas), a three arch bridge with a serpentine deck.
• Explore the magical “Drakolimni”, one of the three alpine lakes in the Pindus mountain range, which according to local legends used to be inhabited by dragons!
• Don’t miss the opportunity to walk the famous Vradeto Stairs at the edge of Vickos Gorge. These stone 1,200 meter stairs connect the villages Vradéto and Kapésovo, and they were the only access to Vradéto village until 1973!
• Trekking through the Asprággeli, Dikóryfo, Manassís and Kaloutás villages, you will find the Kaloutás Bridge, which used to connect the village to with the Vissikoú Monastery (dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary).

Accommodation: Traditional stone-built guesthouses offer a warm environment to rest in after your day has come to an end; enjoy a glass of fine wine by the fireplace before going to sleep or a delicious breakfast with fresh local products before starting your day!

Famous local products: Experience the true magic of Zayorohória: have a delicious meal in a mezedopoleío (local tavern) and taste the famous local pies accompanied by sweet local wine!

Mountainous Arcadia

Where: Among the steep slopes of Mt. Mainalo in the Peloponnese nestle the mountain villages of Dimitsána, Stemnítsa and Vytína.

Why: Get a deeper insight into Greek history by visiting the places where the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Turks actually began; a place synonymous with legendary heroes, fierce battles and glorious achievements. Today thanks to its proximity to Athens and its striking beauty Mountainous Arcadia is one of the most popular winter destinations in Greece.

Must visit: The village of Dimitsána; built like an amphitheatre overlooking the Lousios River, Lousios valley and the plains of Megalopoli, Dimitsána is nicely surrounded by snow covered mountain tops and lush pine tree forests. Some of its most famous sights are the six remaining legendary Gunpowder Mills that used to produce gunpowder for the Revolutionary War, the Philosophou and Timiou Prodromou Monasteries; the archaeological site of Gortyna and the houses of heroes of the Revolution.

The village of Stemnitsa is a typical traditional Arcadian settlement set amidst ancient plane and fir trees. It boasts grand stone mansions, Byzantine churches, cobblestone paths, a beautiful square and an interesting Folklore Museum.

At the heart of Mountainous Arcadia, among the slopes of Mt. Mainalo, lies the most popular tourist destination in Arcadia, Vytina, famous for its unique architecture and blessed with a rugged landscape. Home to a number of legendary heroes of the Revolutionary War, Vytína faced the rage of the Turks many times and the village was burned down on 7 occasions! Vytína used to be an important centre of for the textile industry and woodcraft but today the economy is largely based on tourism.

Activities on offer: Go rafting down the Lousios River; if you are a trekking fan hit the mountain trails and take in the breathtaking scenery or glide down snowy mountain slopes at Mainalo ski resort, an ultra modern ski centre with first-class facilities.

Hot tips:

• Visit the Open Air Water-Power Museum in Dimitsána, the only museum of its kind, which demonstrates basic pre-industrial techniques using water as the main source of energy to produce a variety of goods.
• Stroll around the picturesque district of Kastro in Stemnitsa and take in an amazing view of the Margaritsa Gorge sprawling below.
• Visit the Folklore Museum, the “Greek School” and the Library of Vytína, where you can admire rare books and manuscripts.

Accommodation: Impressive stone mansions turned into cosy family run guesthouses or first-class hotels offer a wide range of facilities and a cosy atmosphere to relax in with your family or to enjoy romantic moments by the fireplace with your other half.

Famous local products: Sample sweet-smelling honey, crunchy nuts, fresh dairy products, delicious local cheese or healing herbal infusions; don’t forget to buy local folklore items like wooden sculptures or textiles before you leave.

Source: Visitgreece.gr