A few days after the implementation of the Rezzakas Trail Run 2024, an event that gave life again this year to 7 villages of Inachorio (Plokamiana, Tzitzifia, Perivolia, Head, Aerino, Pappadiana, Vathi) and was a unique experience offering us generously unique images, experiences and flavors.
The Rezzakas Trail Run this year included two days of events starting from Saturday 3 February where in the morning the routes were free for browsing by the attendees, we continued at noon with a cake cutting of the Cultural Association of Plokamiana and the health runners group of Kissamos and finally we had a pre-race lunch for athletes and attendees with local flavors.
On the day of the races on Sunday 4 February 2024, about 280 runners and walkers started the 24.2km (97) and 6.8km (181) Retzakas Challenge and Retzakas Entry routes, experiencing the beauties of Inachorio's hinterland, culminating in the Retzakas waterfall. All participants had the opportunity to admire the over-aged Big Olive tree in the first meters of their routes, as well as visitors and more than 30 children through the children's race Agroulidaki trail of 1400 meters, giving them the joy of participation. The weather was excellent and helped the event to be a success, and this is not something we say but we received it from all those who participated, athletes, volunteers and bystanders. The extremely high demand for participation in our routes despite the early closing of registrations and the warm embrace of the local community set the pulse of this year's event raising the bar even higher. The smiles of the participants at the route passes and at the finish line were the best reward for us and for them.
The Retzakas Trail Run 2024 was not just another trail running race. It was a celebration for the villages of Inachorio and was the reason for many people from all over Crete, the rest of Greece and abroad to visit our villages, to get to know our alleys and paths, to taste our cuisine, to get to know and smell our flora and to be hosted by our people.
In the racing part of the long route of the 24,2km Retzakas Challenge we had the following results:
GENERAL CATEGORY MEN
1. Thodoris Tsolakis - Arkalos - 2:09':16''
2. Fotis Matsigos - Arkalos - 2:11':23''
3. Georgios Koutroulis - 1st MAL - 2:13':32''
GENERAL CATEGORY WOMEN
1. Ariadna Golubenko (Estonia) - 2:38':10''
2. Maria Renieri - 3:08':02':02''
3. Tracy Harrington - 3:09':43''
The above winners, in addition to this year's special prizes, also received a special knife as a gift. There were also individual age categories in the Rezakas Challenge. Detailed results here: https://retzakas.gr/results24challenge/
In the racing part of the short track of the 6,8Km Retzakas Entry we had the following results:
GENERAL CATEGORY MEN
1. Antonios Kostakis - 42':57'''
2. Stavros Zaganas - 42':58''
3. Zisis Soulios - 43':05'''
GENERAL CATEGORY WOMEN
1. Andri Evangellou - 47':38'''
2. Christiana Zacharioudaki - 48':04'''
3. Dimitra Maraka - 55':59'''
The above winners, in addition to this year's special prizes, received a wooden ramrod (Cretan traditional stick) as a gift. In the Rejakas Entry there was also a category for boys and girls under 18 years old with remarkable performances. Detailed results here: https://retzakas.gr/results24entry/
The two-day event of the Retzakas Trail Run was organized by the Plokamianon Cultural Cultural Cultural Sports Association and the Health Runners Group of Kissamos with co-organizers the Municipality of Kissamos and the Regional Unit of Chania with the organization being under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism. Also, the Retzakas Trail Run is a member of ITRA (International Trail Running Association) with the long route of the Retzakas Challenge being rated ITRA1 level in the ITRA National League 2024.
THANK YOU
First of all we would like to thank again the crowd that chose to come and participate in our routes with a participation rate of over 80% in total. We would also like to thank all the volunteers (more than 100 people in total) of this year's event because without them we would not be talking about the result we have today. A special mention to the Volunteer Samaritans of the Regional Department of Kissamos of the Greek Red Cross who covered our event from a health point of view, and spread out in all the surrounding villages so that athletes and walkers could enjoy our routes safely. The Regional Department of Kissamos, covered the races with. We also thank the Civil Protection team of the Municipality of Kissamos and the A.T. Kissamos, as well as the catalytic interventions and support of the local community and the Municipality for the necessary work and cleaning that had to be carried out on parts of the route.
For the preparation and conduct of this year's Retzakas Trail Run, the help of the supporting clubs was crucial: EFA Theseus Perivolia, Association of Cultural Bodies of Kissamos District (EPOFEK), Cultural Association of Kefalio Community, Cultural Association of Vlatos "new horizons" & Vlatos Jazz, Cultural Association of Amygdalokefali Livadia "Poseidon", Cultural Association of Perivolia Kissamos "Anagnostis Skalidis", Cultural Association of Topolia, Solidarity Association "the Campos", as well as other associations, unions and organizations of the region.
In order to make this year's largest event possible, the help of the sponsors was essential, where either financial or material contributions, large or small, were important. We thank them:
- Platinum sponsors:
Anthrax : Greek sportswear company based in Thessaloniki
Boby Boost: performance & Nutristore , new sports nutrition store in Kissamos
- The golden sponsors:
Mylonakis Olive Oil Mill : Topolia Kissamos
Super Market Mournia: 145 Ir Polytechniou Street, Kissamos
General Store ANOUSAKIS :Drapanias Kissamos
BALOS TRAVEL General Tourism Office: Kissamos
Xtreme Stores: chania
Nikoloudakis - Kiyagiadakis: Hotel Equipment Chania
Creta Strom - Lantzakis : Chania
Elafonisi resort : Hotel Lafonisi - Kalomirakis family hotel
Athitaki horeca supplier: household and business equipment - Vamvakopoulo Chania
Digital Pro: web & marketing - Kissamos and Chania
SYNKA Super Market
Fruit and Vegetables of Crete - Panagiotis Dentakis
Hotel Castell - Kissamos
Glykeria Hotel & Restaurant - Tzanakis Bros. - Chrysoskalitissa
Physiotherapy Physio Praxis - Chania, Crete, Greece
- The silver sponsors:
Baked goods "from the village" - Topolia Kissamos
Kakaounakis store - Kissamos
Stathakis Family - Cretan Honey Experience (honey products)
SYN Elafonissi (ASPKΘ Elafonissii Chrysoskalitissa)
Abelitsia - tavern
Galanakis - Drinks - refreshments - Perivolia Chania
Rompos Printing - Chania
Politikos Fournos - Chania
- The Bronze Sponsors:
Cretan delicacies Simandirakis - Rocca Kissamos
ATOU - Sporting goods store - Kissamos
Enmimion - boutique : women's clothing store - Kissamos
Paterakis Brothers Butcher Shop - Kissamos
Martsakis Printing house - Kissamos
- The Transport Sponsors
ANEK Lines
Chania Rethymnon Bus Station
Strata Tours - Kissamos
Ceramoti - Rent a Car
We would also like to thank the Cattle Breeders of the area and Anastasios Hraptakis (ROZOS Wood art) for this year's special prizes.
The Retzakas Trail Run 2024 became known with the contribution of the communication sponsors, local and running media, whom we thank: Runntrail.gr , Totrexalito.gr , Sport-of-running.eu , RunningNews.gr , iRun , Runbeat , Advendure , Nea TV Crete , Neo Horizonte , biskotto.gr
This year's event became special again with musical starts by Shelley (violin) & Hartzoulakis Dimitris (guitar), but also live music after the finishes with Nikos Michelidakis (electric guitar), George Georgilas (percussion) as well as with the sound coverage and support of Mr. Gavalas at the school in Plokamiana.
For the photos of the event that are already starring in social media, we would like to thank the Zak Inventions team, but also Fanis Manousakis, Kostas Glendousakis and Yannis Papadimitrakis as well as volunteers who captured the efforts of the participants.
Special thanks to the Chef of the event Michalis Tzanakis and his team who professionally offered special flavors to all attendees on both days.
Finally, we would like to thank Vangelis Karagiannakis and his team (Athletic Progress - atpro.gr) for the timing and technical coverage of the races.
The organization of the Retzakas Trail Run 2024 may be in the past, but all of you who participated have a special memory, an experience, an image that will remain engraved in your memory and in your heart. All this fills us with satisfaction and responsibility to work even harder, to improve our mistakes, to consolidate the event in the region as a sporting event and as a winter tourist attraction, but also to show to the outside world that man and mountain can coexist harmoniously in alternative ways without disturbing the natural environment.
The Retzakas Trail Run 2024 was again this year the result of many hours of work by the organizing team that included several late nights, hours of phone calls, hours of conversations, hundreds of hours in front of screens, deprivation of our free time with our families and several sacrifices of training. You got to know the hinterland of Inahori and the waterfall of Rezzaka. Now we will let it rest for a year to run proudly and it will be ready to welcome you next year, where planning for the 2025 Rezakas Trail Run has already begun.
Until we meet again...
Yours sincerely
The organizing team of the Retzakas Trail Run
Information about the event: https://retzakas.gr/
Photographic material: https://retzakas.gr/fotografies-vinteo/
Contact information: https://retzakas.gr/epikoinonia/
