The scheduled mountain biking race in the Cross Country Marathon event has been postponed. The race, which was scheduled for Saturday, October 29, 2022, was jointly organized by the Kythira Foundation for Culture and Development (K.I.P.A.) and the “Theseus” Sports Club. It was held under the auspices of the Hellenic Cycling Federation and the Municipality of Kythira, the support of the Kythira Local Property Committee, the assistance of the SVELTA team and Worldofbike Total Cycling Events, and the support of the Regional Unit of Islands of the Attica Region.
The reason for postponing the match is due to tanking of the passenger ship “Aqua Jewel” for its annual maintenance, which disrupted participants' plans to visit Kythira.
In a related announcement, the Kythira Foundation for Culture and Development states:
«Dear friends,
We were very surprised to learn that SeaJets' passenger ferry Aqua Jewel, one of the ships serving the route to and from Kythira, and the only ship operating the Piraeus-Kythira route – Gythio – Kissamos, Chania, will be out of service for annual maintenance from October 24 to November 23, which disrupts our plans both for the race and for the easy and economical access that interested participants would have had.
Unfortunately, for one month, Kythira will only be accessible via a daily connection from Neapoli, Laconia, which reduces the ease of access to the island and dramatically increases the cost of travel.
Since we are already nearing the end of the racing season and winter is approaching with whatever weather difficulties it may bring, we do not want to postpone the event for a month, when the island's ferry connection with the other three ports will resume. The aim of KIPA was to use a cycling race to promote Kythira to the cycling community as a beautiful cycling and tourist destination in general, outside the tourist season, with easy access, which is not possible under the new circumstances.
The “Kythira MTB Bike Challenge” will return in the new season, most likely on April 2, 2023.
Until then, we ask for your understanding for any inconvenience caused.»
