A weekend filled with strong emotions, athletic performances and beautiful images marked the 11th edition of the Hydra’s Trail Event, which surpassed even last year’s anniversary edition and now moves dynamically into its second decade.
Hundreds of runners arrived in Hydra from all over Greece and many countries around the world, enjoying the open and well-maintained trails, the warm hospitality of the volunteers at the aid stations, and the unique experience of spending time on an island whose reputation extends far beyond the Greek borders.
The aesthetics and culture of Hydra’s people meet history and tradition, creating a unique atmosphere. In an island that resembles a natural stage, everyone gave their very best.
The performances exceeded expectations. In the Hydra’s Trail Marathon (38 km), which also served as the Greek National Trail Running Championship, Vasilis Balamotis, coached by Giorgos Dialektos, crossed the finish line first with a time of 3:29:00. Second place went to Manolis Pourikas, coached by Thodoris Daviotis, with 3:40:50, while Thanasis Pagounadis, coached by Kostas Vasilakis, finished third with 3:43:01.
Their performances were outstanding and the ITRA scores they are expected to receive will likely be very high, giving them a significant advantage in the race for the three spots on the Greek National Team that will represent Greece at the European Mountain Running Championship, to be held in Slovenia this June.
In the women’s race, Fotini Meintani, also coached by Giorgos Dialektos, delivered an impressive performance, finishing first in 4:22:16. She was followed by Lemonia Panagiotou, coached by Dimitris Kassimis, in 4:46:27, and Elena Stathopoulou, coached by Kostas Vasilakis, in 4:50:12.
It is worth noting that even the fourth-place finisher, Nikoleta Tzavara, is considered one of the biggest names in Greek trail running, highlighting that Hydra continues to attract the country’s top athletes.
Following the top three in the 38 km race, the next finishers were Nikos Ponireas, Andreas Manetas, Alexandros Karykas and Dimitris Eleftheriou, all experienced and highly competitive runners.
In the Rock Race (18 km), Nikos Rodopoulos claimed victory with a time of 1:41:33, followed by Lampis Nikitas in 1:43:31 and Andreas Andriopoulos in 1:49:54.
In the women’s category, the rising athlete Fani Avramoglou, coached by Giannis Kourkourikis, finished first in her first 18 km race of the season with 2:03:26. Second place went to Fotini Koloka in 2:05:12, just two minutes behind, while Elisavet Papadima finished third with 2:13:52.
In the Rookie Trail Race (8 km), Giorgos Giannoulis crossed the finish line first in 41:32, followed by Petros Papadimas in 42:44 and Anastasios Anastasopoulos in 42:49.
Among women, Vasiliki Pavli took first place with 55:41, followed by Telleria Liher in 56:37 and Hydra’s own Nicole Tsitsinaki in 59:54.
The day before, the Run ’n’ Fun Race (5 km) took place, a route open to participants of all ages. Giorgos Giannoulis finished first in 17:38, followed by Antonis Tergiakis in 18:27 and Hydra local Giannis Moustakarias in 18:44.
In the women’s category, Lemonia Panagiotou finished first in 20:18, Evdokia Maneta second in 23:46, and Eleni Papadima third in 24:44.
It was a full weekend of racing, featuring many of the elite athletes of Greek trail running, in an event characterized by energy, enthusiasm and strong competition.
The contribution of the DIAVA team, responsible for the technical preparation of the race, was invaluable. The team managed to keep the trails open and clean, despite the severe weather conditions that had caused significant damage to the second half of the marathon course only a few days before the event.
The Municipality of Hydra once again invested strategically in the event, recognizing it as an important tool for promoting the island in Greece and internationally.
This year, the support of Coca-Cola Tria Epsilon (3E) was also particularly significant, marking an important step for the future of the Hydra’s Trail Event.
Finally, the support of the Hydra Nautical Club (YNO) played an important role, reinforcing the success of this year’s event through its longstanding presence in the island’s sporting life.
Organizing Committee Hydra’s Trail Event
