A group of people from Athens started the Freeday initiative, a group who meets every Friday night around Thissio for a long cycling session. Freeday was started about 8 years ago and what started out as a small weekend ride for cycling enthusiasts, the group has now grown to over 2,700 members! 

The ride normally starts from Thissio - Monastiraki at 21:50 and ends around 3:30 in the morning in the same area. The ride can last from 4 to 6 hours, cycling 30km to 50km, and the route is different every week! The course to be taken is not announced but its destination is posted on Facebook the day before, in the form of a puzzle. The mystery is discussed by riders along the way, bets are placed and guesses are made as part of the fun involved.

Admittedly, Athens does not possess ideal infrastructure for cycling, while, making things worse, local car drivers are not accustomed to the idea. Amid such unfavorable conditions, the power of plenty is the only solution. The ritual has been maintained over the years.

“The experience serves as a good school for learning how to get around Athens on a bicycle. You are taken into consideration by car drivers when part of a large group. Over the years, of course, progress is being achieved and group rides are nowadays organized virtually on a daily basis by groups and municipalities. It’s also a trend, a solution for tight finances, as well as a form of exercise,” noted Antonis, a regular participant of the Thissio rides every Friday night. “Cyclists and car drivers can co-exist with a bit of overall cooperation, even if cycling lanes are not available in Athens,” he added.

Fascinatingly, every Friday night, Freeday draws together individuals who are engaged in very different lines of work during the day. The ritual has established close friendships. Asked whether he could share any unique stories from the weekly rides, Spiros, one of the group’s most avid members who helps design the routes, responded: “The difficult rides during winter, when it is raining, are unique as Freeday is staged every Friday, regardless of the conditions – except for certain national holidays. We get the biggest turnout at the end of July when we organize the Tour d‘ Athenes, which covers roughly 140 kilometers and lasts all night. But you get to see a magical sunrise at the end of it. The rides to Sounio and Penteli, to its observatory, rank among the most beautiful experiences.” Asked whether the group cycling experience has changed his life, Spiros exclaimed: “It rejuvenated me,” adding that “I also met this guy,” offering a fellow rider to his side an embrace.

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Athens, July 4 2016 – “Navarino Challenge” never stops to surprise and to keep the public’s interest undiminished…!

More specifically, the -favorite to everyone- activity of running, that was established since 2013, with the Greek American ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes as its key ambassador, returns with renewed routes!

On Sunday September 11, 2016 runners starting from Navarino Dunes in Costa Navarino will participate in a non-competitive running to Pylos beach, crossing Voidokilia beach for the first time and following the trail mapped out, back in Homer’s years, by Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, trying to find his missing father. According to the Homeric tradition, when the son of Odysseus arrived on the beach on a ship, he had with him the goddess Athena disguised as Mentor. On their way, runners will discover the mythical Voidokilia, the most famous beach in Messinia –with its unique shape that outlines the letter Omega of the Greek alphabet, written as “Ω”- and one of the best in the world!

This year's Half Marathon (21.1 km) and 10 km running routes will start at 08:15 in the morning while the 5km route (for running and dynamic walking) will start at 08:30. Similarly, the 1 km route designed for children will begin at 09:30 in the morning. The start and finish points are common. This year, the routes have been designed and edited by the former marathon runner, holder of national best performance on the classical route, running coach and director of All About Running, Nikos Polias. A detailed description of the routes including maps and technical details (altitude) is available in the following link: http://navarinochallenge.com/event_routes_2016_en.html

“Navarino Challenge” innovates and presents for the first time the activity of Kids' Athletics with its ambassador, the Olympic and World Champion in 400m. hurdles, Periklis Iakovakis. This is an activity aiming at getting children acquainted with the track and field sports, and has been developed and established by a special panel of scientists from IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation). In Greece the activity is officially implemented by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Kids' Athletics include, among others, the activity of standing long jump, the sport of the world famous Olympic champion and legendary Kostis Tsiklitiras, who was born in Pylos Messinia, which will be presented on September 10th in the central Square of Pylos, and on Sunday the 11th of September in Costa Navarino. Periklis Iakovakis said about his participation: “I invite all our little friends at the Kids' Athletics program of Navarino Challenge to get to know the various sports of athletics. Through a program lasting about one hour, we will do jumps, throws, sprints and relay! But above all we will have a good time and have fun. Join us now and we will be expecting you for a wonderful weekend full of sports”.

For the first time in a sports tourism event, the top airline in the world, Qatar Airways, offers the opportunity to anyone who wishes to participate in “Navarino Challenge”, to book his/her flights from abroad, with a discount up to 25%, thus ideally completing the accommodation packages created and sold at a fast pace.

The new flights of the official airline partner of the event from Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta in USA and the direct flights from Sydney and Adelaide in Australia, with one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world, with the luxury and of course the comfort of Qatar Airways, combined with this significant discount in the cost of the airline tickets, will be an additional incentive for the arrival of visitors from these countries but also from all countries where the global network of the company reaches.

Please use the promo code ATHNAVCH6 to book the exclusive offer, via the following link: http://www.qatarairways.com/gr/el/cugs/navarinochallenge.page

Offer valid from 30 August 2016 to 11 September 2016 included (Outbound) and (Inbound) to be completed on or before 21 September 2016.

Book your room now (almost less than 75 days before the event) at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and take advantage of the privileged prices available for those wishing to enjoy the full schedule of “Navarino Challenge. For further information please contact the event’s official travel agent Vita N Travel. Telephone: +30 210 3249070 or visit: http://navarinochallenge.com/event_accommodation_in_2016_en.html

“Navarino Challenge” will be held for the 4th consecutive year in Messinia and Costa Navarino on 9-11 September 2016, with more than 18 activities! Registrations are open and anyone can take part in activities of running, swimming and SUP by filling the special form available at the following link: http://activemedia.com.gr/product/navarino-challenge/

The event will be held for one more year, under the Auspices of the Department of Nutrition and-Dietetics of Harokopio University of Athens with the support of Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, as well as the Municipalities of Pylos-Nestor and Trifilia.

For more information about the event, you may contact us through the following special form: http://www.navarinochallenge.com/contact.html

Official Sponsors: Allianz Greece, “Vikos” Natural Mineral Water
Official Airline Partner: Qatar Airways
Official Supporters: BIC®, BIC® Sport, Navarino Icons, Village Cinemas
Assisted by: Health Runners Club of Messinia, Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, Explore Messinia, Navarino Outdoors, Swim Academy, Aqua Divers Club, Scuba Hellas, Navarino Golf Academy, Restaurant Posidonia Restaurant ThaMa, Alpha (Athlima SA), Department of Sports Organization & Management from University of Peloponnese, Anazoe Spa Costa Navarino, 1morekm, Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), IAAF Kids Athletics, Apia, Inbi
Official Travel Agent: Vita N Travel Official Broadcaster: OTE TV
TV Communication Partner: National Geographic Channel

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• 1 piece (10 cm. or 70g) of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup (250 ml.) of lemon juice (about 3 to 4 lemons)
• 1/3 cup (80 ml.) of maple syrup
• 4 cups (1 liter) of water
• 2 lemons cut into slices for garnish