Navarino Challenge Announces New Activities for 2022

Tennis tournament for everyone from Mouratoglou Tennis Center Costa Navarino (photo by Dimitris Andritsos Photography @ Navarino Challenge)

Navarino Challenge, the annual sports tourism event at Costa Navarino in the Peloponnese has announced new activities for its 2022 edition that will take place during October 21-23.

In its 10th year, the event promotes exercise, wellness, health, fair play and raises awareness on the Mediterranean diet, towards the fight against childhood obesity.

With running as the event’s main activity since 2013, Navarino Challenge has evolved into a top sports tourism event in Greece with more than 30 sports activities and the attendance of numerous famous athletes.

This October, people of all ages and abilities from Greece and abroad, in the presence of Olympians, will meet once again at Costa Navarino and Pylos for the event’s 10 years celebration, with the key message “sports unites people”.

Famous sports personalities to attend this year’s event include Paralympic boccia champion, Grigoris Polychronidis; Paralympic gold medalist in the 100m, Nasos Ghavelas; Olympic silver medalist in taekwondo, Alexandros Nikolaidis; basketball champion, Panagiotis Giannakis; hurdles champion, Periklis Iakovakis; and Olympian and EuroBasket MVP Evina Maltsi.

The Paralympic gold medalist in the 100m, Nasos Ghavelas will be present in Navarino Challenge (photo by Nasos Ghavelas)

New activities 

For the first time this year, Navarino Challenge will hold a tennis tournament in collaboration with the Mouratoglou Tennis Center Costa Navarino. Wheelchair tennis athlete and member of the Greek National Team George Lazaridis will perform a tennis demonstration, offering people with disabilities the opportunity to exercise and learn about the principles of this Olympic sport.

Navarino Challenge 2022 will also host the Men’s and Women’s Round Robbin tennis tournaments, in UTS format, with the support of the Mouratoglou Tennis Center, under the guidance of distinguished coaches.

Bike Tour in collaboration with Navarino Outdoors (photo by Elias Lefas @ Navarino Challenge)

In addition, participants will have the opportunity to take a 30km Gravel Bike Tour to the Kalamaris waterfall and taste traditional Messinian flavors on the spot, in collaboration with Navarino Outdoors.

Running activities

Participants can run the 21.1km Greek Half Marathon, crossing the beautiful beach of Voidokoilia, or go for the 10km route or the fun 5km route that can be completed with dynamic walking.

The event’s younger friends can run the 1km route for children up to 14 years old.

1km kids running in Navarino Challenge (photo by Elias Lefas)

An early bird offer is available for running activities until July 31, featuring discounts higher than 50 percent on registrations. Participation in the children’s race is free.

More information is available at www.navarinochallenge.com.

Promotion of host destination

Navarino Challenge never stops promoting the beauties of Messinia through sports. From the palace of Nestor, to the Palaiokastro, the beach of Voidokoilia, the Gialova lagoon, Sphacteria and Niokastro of Pylos, the event highlights history, medieval castles and traditional flavors, uniting Pylos and the entire region of Messinia.

Organized by ActiveMedia Group, Navarino Challenge will take place under the auspices of the Tourism Ministry and the Greek National Tourism Organization.

The event has joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2022 program of the European Commission and is held under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports.

Greek-American ultramarathon runner Konstantinos Dean Karnazes is the main ambassador of the Navarino Challenge event.