“The clouds over Salamis were slowly losing their last golden colours, becoming darker. “Boukadoura” (summer wind from sea coast to land) brought a little wave to the port.
The fishermen sailed out one by one, white, yellow, and green – figures light in the colours of space.
The fishermen who weren’t tossing their nets or longlines made sure of the boat that was tied to the boats on land, took the paddles on the shoulder and made their way for their huts.
A bunch of kids, barefoot playing on the beach, making whole lot of noise…
Scaffoldings everywhere around a new hull, the one on the “tarsana” (small traditional shipyard) …
They were running from stern to bow, they were falling squirming.
“Gilda” would become Nikos Sarikavazis’ little open sea sailing boat.
A female voice:
– Come on already! Come on! The kids are waiting for you to start eating!
He shook his head a bit as he returned from a trip.
– Where you talking to me?
– Yes, I was talking to you! It’s getting dark!
– Allright, I’m coming.
Elias Venizi’s book fit him like a glove: his great love was the Sea, Sailing and Nautical Club of Paleo Faliro (NCPF). He seemed to forget home sometimes!
Nikolaos Sarikavazis was born in 1921 in Alatsata, Asia Minor. His father’s name was Dimitrios and his mother Catherine. He was married to Maria Sarikavazis with whom he had two sons, Dimitris and Panagiotis.
Resident of Paleo Faliro since 1956.
Since 1938 he has been involved in sports as an athlete in the National Gymnastics Association. He was a 100- and 200-meter track athlete and a member of the National Track and Field Team.
In 1947 he began sailing in the Paleo Faliro Nautical Club, a group that still fell in love with an athlete, running offshore races on the “Gilda” boat.
In 1950 he assumed the position of the Chief of the NCPF, which helped the athletes of the group to gain honorary positions in international competitions (domestic and international).
In 1972 in Kiel, in 1992 in Barcelona and in 1996 in Savannah, he was the Head of Mission of the Greek Sailing Group.
From 1966 to 1991 as a member and from 1991 to 1997 as President he was in command of the Hellenic Sailing Federation trying to raise the sport as much as possible. Founding member of the Panhellenic Offshore Sailing Club. Member of the Olympic Committee for four years.
He was without interruption the President of the NOFF from 1979 until his death on 11/02/2011.
What was said about Nikos Sarikavazis by those close to him?
Giannis Pavlou:
I would like to write a couple of lines, in short, for the long journey Nikos Sarikavazis has had in competitive sailing of Greece. It is my belief that very few people are aware of the size of his offer and his whole course, and just how much he contributed to the fact that today so many young sailors compete in the water arena.
I met Nikos Sarikavazis back in May 1953, when along with Kostas Giakas and George Stalounis, managed to enroll as athletic members at the Palaio Faliro Sailing Club (NCPF).
We were young, aged 16-17 years old and N.Sarikavazis was then responsible as Sailing Officer at the club. All in all, the assets of the club back then was four single seat boats “Kerkouros” type with a small sailing sail and a handfull of rowing skiff boats…
After a while the club, under the persistence of N.Sarikavazis, got another boat, “Lighting” type, made in Greece and of Pine, weighing 450Kg. Self appointed coaches at the time were Michalis Ladopoulos and Panagiotis Vidalis.
What Sarikavazis was aiming at, was the youngsters to be able to race in official Sailing races. And the aim was high back then, because at the time sailing was a very privileged area, a no go zone for the non-Royals and Aristocrats of the time.
Finally, his persistence broke the status quo of the time and the young lads raced and excelled at that also, beating opponent after opponent.
Following this success, other clubs mobilized and slowly but surely in a very short time began recruiting young sailors and suddenly the sport infiltrated in the hearts of the Greek youth and the sea filled with small boats.
Having said that, of course, still the key was for the sailing clubs to be equipped with their own boats to provide to the athletes. The boats were too expensive to be privately owned by working class sailors. This is something that with time was achieved.
This is in short the contribution of N. Sarikavazis to the Greek sailing community. This is a knowledge worth passing on. Nikos Sarikavazis was often criticized Instead of being thanked. This contribution was often overlooked without taking into account that without his persistence back in the days that it was not economically feasible, but with nothing but sheer willpower from the athletes of the time, none of this would had been possible.
Elias Hadjipavlis Silver Olympian Finn 1972 Kiel:
“Nikos was my second father to me. Ninety percent of the missions I attended were the Chief. He is the man who, myself and other sailors, in those rocky years of sports and especially sailing, where getting on the boards or in services like PPC and OTE was an achievement, helped me to make a career at OTE. I always owe him a lot of gratitude.
Tasos Vatistas:
“I started with Nikos Sarikavazis in 1958 and we were always together until he left. I loved him as my father and he loved me as his child. It helped me in my athletic and professional career. What is left in my memory is the day Balopoulos came to the club. He fainted from his grief and agitation and together with Mrs. Marika we lifted him up and gave him water. There has not been a day for as many years as I know him missing from the Group. We will remember him forever with love. “
Giannis Speys:
“Captain Nikos, the ” LEADER ” along with Kostis Vermissos, helped me and many other sailors recover professionally. And despite the differences and frictions we had, I can only admit to him that the to the Club, he was the main pillar. “