2024-04-29 11:41:08
A big celebration, which actually marked a restart process after the administrative upheavals of the last period, was held on Wednesday by the Nautical Club of Ioannina at the Nautical Club Park, in Limnopoula.
Its protagonists were on the one hand the active sportsmen and women, who excelled last year in the Greek and international rowing fields, highlighting for one more year the N.O.I. champion and Polynik of Greece, on the one hand its living founding members and veteran athletes and coaches, who were honored for their overall contribution to the association.
The event opened with the president of N.O.I. Nikos Exarchou who, after welcoming the crowd, paid tribute to the veterans of Ioannina 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 the part of the founding members, Aristotelis (Telis) Kazantzis attended and was honored, who excitedly emphasized that his soul and heart are always in N.O.I. and wished health and success to the entire sports family of the Group. 
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. he 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 to the parents, saying that they also deserve an award, as they hurt, worry and spend for their children. He also 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 Group, who are distinguished, as he emphasized, by homogeneity, cooperation, ethics and pedagogical competence. “They have a special place in our hearts. They have all our respect,” he said. At the same time, he announced outreach actions on the part of the association, which intends to operate sections for the disabled in rowing and canoeing. “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 Kostas Papagiannis, who characterized N.O.I. “steam engine” of Greek rowing, assuring that EKFONS stands by him. At the same time, he 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 deputy 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 Mouselimis, the president of the Poultry Cooperative of Ioannina Andreas Dimitr I, the president of the Nautical Club of Kastoria Panagiotis Mitroudis, the member of the Management Committee of PEAKI Antonia Kortzis et al.