We caught up with SOSW Split Olympic Sailing Week winner, Pavlos Kontides to find out why he has been training in Croatia for over 11 years. He had this to say…
Split was once again on the world-stage last weekend with the Split Olympic Sailing Week and Total Croatia Sailing was there in amongst the action. We decided to catch up with the winner of the SOSW – Pavlos Kontides to find out why he loves sailing in Split.
“I sail in Croatia and Split because of my coach Jozo Jakelić, to whom I owe a lot in my sailing career and of course, it’s always nice to sail in Split against other top sailors like Tonči Stipanović and Filip Jurišić. Both of them are my really good friends, but we are all keen competitors who want to win”
Pavlos went on to describe that his most enjoyable part of the SOSW 2017 was the final race. Kontides, Stipanović and Jurišić had all dropped one race and were on exactly the same number of points. They were on a level playing field which meant that the win was anybody’s for the taking. An exhilarating race-situation for any sailor and spectators alike!
Kontides is Cyprus’ only Olympic medallist; he brought home Silver from the London Olympic Games. The ambitious Cypriot also bagged Silver at the World Sailing Cup Miami in January.
Pavlos spoke fondly of his spot on the Dalmatian coast, “I like being in Split as the culture and mentality are very similar to back home. Now after 11 years, Split is my second home. I do speak a bit of Croatian and sometimes I feel like a local guy.”
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