Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni
Encyclopedia
The Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni, or "NOV" (Greek
: Ναυτικός Όμιλος Βουλιαγμένης, "NOB") is an aquatic sports club, founded by local sportsmen in 1937 in the seaside resort of Vouliagmeni
, south of Athens
, Greece
.
The club is located on the eastern edge of the Mikro Kavouri peninsula, adjacent to the Astir Palace Hotel and overlooking the bay, town and lake of Vouliagmeni
.
The club takes particular pride in being an "extended family" for all its past and present athletes. Almost all its coaches and sports staff are past club athletes, and members are encouraged to involve their children in club sports from the youngest age possible.
set inside a white lifebuoy
with eight crimson stripes; blue, white and crimson being the club colors.
, a waterskiing school, junior and Olympic competition sailing
boats and facilities, an open-air, heated swimming pool, two rocky beaches, members' indoor and outdoor lounges, reading and conference rooms, a first-aid station, a gym, and an upscale restaurant. The club publishes a quarterly illustrated newsletter, the "Tríaina" (Τρίαινα, "Trident
"), distributed free. As part of the celebrations for the club's seventy years, a memorial volume, "In Search of the Sporting Ideal", was published in 2008, in commemoration of the club's history. The volume chronicles the club's foundation and development, and pays particular tribute to the many club athletes who have taken part in Olympic Games
and won Olympic medals
.
The outdoor, heated pool hosts swimming
, finswimming
, synchronized swimming
and water polo
teams and the respective training schools for children. The club hosts two annual competition meetings for youngsters, the "Tzeláteia" swimming gala and the "Chatzitheodórou" water polo Cup, as well as annual water skiing and sailing events. In addition to regular training for its young athletes, the club organises training schools for beginners, open to all children interested in swimming, finswimming, water polo, boat sailing, windsurfing, synchronized swimming, and waterskiing. Four periods are offered per year in total, two (winter and spring) during school season and two more during the summer vacations.
Sports activities for members include aquarobics, aerobics, martial arts classes, long-distance sea swimming, water skiing, and Olympic and recreational sailing and windsurfing. The club also provides mooring for recreational boats owned by members. Several social events and functions are also held at the club, including concerts, art exhibitions, lectures, receptions, dinner parties, the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve balls, the all-day "May Day at the Club" barbecue, and the midsummer
"Full Moon Ball".
teams are a traditional force in European water polo and have won many Greek and several European Championships and Cups. The club often hosts LEN Euroleague
and LEN Cup
tournaments, its star players consistently being capped for the Greek men's
and women's
national teams.
The women's team are the reigning Greek champions (2010) and also the reigning European champions for the second consecutive year (2009, 2010). In 2009 they won the LEN Champions' Cup in Kirishi
, Russia, defeating the Italian champions, Orizzonte Catania
, in the final. In 2010 they won the LEN Champions' Cup in Corfu
, Greece, defeating the Russian champions, Kinef
Kirishi
, in the final.
In addition to the men's and women's teams, the club maintains water polo teams for girls and boys aged 9 and upwards, and participates in all relevant youth competitions. All teams train under the supervision of head coaches (2010) Gianni Giannouris and Alexia Kammenou, both former NOV players.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Ναυτικός Όμιλος Βουλιαγμένης, "NOB") is an aquatic sports club, founded by local sportsmen in 1937 in the seaside resort of Vouliagmeni
Vouliagmeni
Vouliagmeni is a seaside town and former municipality 20 km south of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population was 6,442 at the 2001 census. Vouliagmeni is among the most...
, south of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
The club is located on the eastern edge of the Mikro Kavouri peninsula, adjacent to the Astir Palace Hotel and overlooking the bay, town and lake of Vouliagmeni
Vouliagmeni
Vouliagmeni is a seaside town and former municipality 20 km south of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population was 6,442 at the 2001 census. Vouliagmeni is among the most...
.
The club takes particular pride in being an "extended family" for all its past and present athletes. Almost all its coaches and sports staff are past club athletes, and members are encouraged to involve their children in club sports from the youngest age possible.
Crest and colours
The club crest depicts a blue anchorAnchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
set inside a white lifebuoy
Lifebuoy
A lifebuoy, ring buoy, lifering, lifesaver, life preserver or lifebelt, also known as a "kisby ring" or "perry buoy", is a life saving buoy designed to be thrown to a person in the water, to provide buoyancy, to prevent drowning...
with eight crimson stripes; blue, white and crimson being the club colors.
Activities
The club admits members and their guests and operates a marinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
, a waterskiing school, junior and Olympic competition sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
boats and facilities, an open-air, heated swimming pool, two rocky beaches, members' indoor and outdoor lounges, reading and conference rooms, a first-aid station, a gym, and an upscale restaurant. The club publishes a quarterly illustrated newsletter, the "Tríaina" (Τρίαινα, "Trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
"), distributed free. As part of the celebrations for the club's seventy years, a memorial volume, "In Search of the Sporting Ideal", was published in 2008, in commemoration of the club's history. The volume chronicles the club's foundation and development, and pays particular tribute to the many club athletes who have taken part in Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and won Olympic medals
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
The outdoor, heated pool hosts swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, finswimming
Finswimming
Finswimming is the progression of a swimmer using monofins or normal swimfins either on the water surface or underwater, using only muscle strength. It is a discipline of underwater sports. The competition distances are same as for swimming...
, synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swImming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music....
and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
teams and the respective training schools for children. The club hosts two annual competition meetings for youngsters, the "Tzeláteia" swimming gala and the "Chatzitheodórou" water polo Cup, as well as annual water skiing and sailing events. In addition to regular training for its young athletes, the club organises training schools for beginners, open to all children interested in swimming, finswimming, water polo, boat sailing, windsurfing, synchronized swimming, and waterskiing. Four periods are offered per year in total, two (winter and spring) during school season and two more during the summer vacations.
Sports activities for members include aquarobics, aerobics, martial arts classes, long-distance sea swimming, water skiing, and Olympic and recreational sailing and windsurfing. The club also provides mooring for recreational boats owned by members. Several social events and functions are also held at the club, including concerts, art exhibitions, lectures, receptions, dinner parties, the Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve balls, the all-day "May Day at the Club" barbecue, and the midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
"Full Moon Ball".
Water polo
The women's and men's water poloWater polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
teams are a traditional force in European water polo and have won many Greek and several European Championships and Cups. The club often hosts LEN Euroleague
LEN Euroleague
The LEN Euroleague and the Women's Champions' Cup are the premier European water polo club competitions run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation...
and LEN Cup
LEN Cup
The LEN Cup is a second-tier European water polo club competition run by the Ligue Européenne de Natation for those clubs who did not qualify for the LEN Euroleague. The cup was inaugurated in 1992...
tournaments, its star players consistently being capped for the Greek men's
Greece men's national water polo team
The Greece men's national water polo team represents Greece in international water polo competitions.- Olympic Games :Greece men's national water polo team participated 14 times at the Olympic Games...
and women's
Greece women's national water polo team
The Greece women's national water polo team represents Greece in international women's water polo competitions. Since the 2000s, Greece have emerged as one of the leading powers in the world, with their most precious achievements being the silver medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2010...
national teams.
The women's team are the reigning Greek champions (2010) and also the reigning European champions for the second consecutive year (2009, 2010). In 2009 they won the LEN Champions' Cup in Kirishi
Kirishi
Kirishi is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the right bank of the Volkhov River, southeast of St. Petersburg. Population: -History:...
, Russia, defeating the Italian champions, Orizzonte Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, in the final. In 2010 they won the LEN Champions' Cup in Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, Greece, defeating the Russian champions, Kinef
Kinef
Kinef is a Russian joint stock production association operating a large oil refinery based in Kirishi, Leningrad Oblast. It is a subsidiary of Surgutneftegaz. The Kirishi refinery is the only one in Northwestern Russia.Construction of the refinery had begun in 1961 in an area devastated by World...
Kirishi
Kirishi
Kirishi is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the right bank of the Volkhov River, southeast of St. Petersburg. Population: -History:...
, in the final.
In addition to the men's and women's teams, the club maintains water polo teams for girls and boys aged 9 and upwards, and participates in all relevant youth competitions. All teams train under the supervision of head coaches (2010) Gianni Giannouris and Alexia Kammenou, both former NOV players.
Water polo titles
- Men:
- Greek waterpolo championships: 1991, 1997, 1998
- Greek waterpolo cups: 1996, 1999
- LEN Cup Winners' CupLEN Cup Winners' CupThe LEN Cup Winners' Cup was a European water polo club competition organized by the Ligue Européenne de Natation. National cup winners qualified for the tournament...
: 1997
- Women:
- Greek water polo championships: 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010
- LENLigue Européenne de NatationLigue Européenne de Natation or LEN is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to FINA—it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was founded in 1927 in Bologna, Italy....
Trophy: 2003 - LENLigue Européenne de NatationLigue Européenne de Natation or LEN is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to FINA—it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was founded in 1927 in Bologna, Italy....
European Championships (Women's Champions' Cup): 2009, 2010 - LENLigue Européenne de NatationLigue Européenne de Natation or LEN is the European governing body for aquatic sports affiliated to FINA—it is the Continental Association for Europe. It was founded in 1927 in Bologna, Italy....
Supercup (Champions' Cup winner vs. LEN Trophy winner): 2009,2010
External links
- Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni (NOV) (official club website, in Greek)
- The photographic archive of NOV, tracking the club's course from the 1940s to the present (in English and Greek)
- "La regina Alexia" - news item from the Water Polo Development World website (in Italian and English)