ABOUT US


Larnaca Nautical Club was officially founded in 1951 and was initially practising the sailing sport. However, the roots of the Club go back to 1934, when sailing started in Larnaca. At that time, the Larchak, the late Pavlos Rossidis, designed a small sailingboat. The boat named Mersina was built by the well-known shipbuilder Dimitros Skeparidis. Other similar boats were built and races began to take place in the Larnaca Bay. In 1936 official competitions started.

By the end of 1950, at the beginning of 1951, the formation of a Nautical Club was finally decided. It was called the "Larnaca Flamingo Nautical Club". As a logo the flying flamingo was established as Renos Evriviades had designed it. The first President was Pavlos Rousides, Vice President Dimis Dimitriou, and Secretary Andreas Evriviades (Wideson). Temporary meeting place was the Four Lanterns Hotel. Due to the amazing activities of the Club in the years to come, the English Commander of the Larnaca District gave the house currently used by the Cyprus Police Department for Immigration Control and Aliens to be used as a dormitory of the Club. A small salt-water dock and the large storage yard for boats were also donated. From this venue, sailing races continued to be organized, often attended by British crews in the Mediterranean, during their visits to Larnaca.

The Club remained in this area and operated with outstanding results until 1957. With the outbreak of intercommunal riots it was forced to leave this wonderful place with all the records and material. The club remained homeless without infrastructure and was in danger of being dissolved. In 1958 Dimas Dimitriou took over as new President, Andreas Evridiadis remained general secretary. After many efforts, the independent Republic of Cyprus granted a piece of empty land near the first oil storage tanks in Larnaca. Two military solitary shacks were purchased, which were assembled by the royal engineer of the bases and so the club acquired a new dormitory. From here the club continued to operate with sailing and high-speed boat racing. In 1965, Fivos Zachariades (Larnaca Procurator) was elected President, with Kostas Alkis as Vice-President, and Andreas Evriviadis remained the Secretary. In 1966 the first international high speed boat races were held in Larnaca.

In the sailing devision the club competed succesfully with the Famagusta and Limassol Nautical Clubs, which were founded in 1960 and 1961 and highlighted champions and Pan-Cypriots such as Marios Karapatakis. In 1965, a swimming department was set up, initially taking part in meetings that took place on the occasion of the cataclysm and during other events. Swimming meetings were slowly starting to take place between the Larnaca Nautical Club and the Famagusta Nautical Club in Larnaca and Famagusta. The swimming championships started in 1967 with club rankings mainly between the Larnaca and Famagusta nautical clubs and later with the clubs of Limassol and Paphos. All clubs then belonged to the Hellenic EHIC Federation.

In 1971Dr. Annivas Frances was elected President. In the same year as the construction of the port, the club was again forced to move. It rented the Allamos beachfront that was in the area where is the Lenios Hotel today.

In 1972 amateur swimming federations, sailing federation and the complex rowing federation and Canoe-Kayak were established. Founding members were the Larnaca, Famagusta, Limassol and Paphos nautical clubs. In 1972 the Larnaca Nautical Club was also officially registered as a sports club with the registration number 1612 by the Law on the Unions and Institutions Act of 1972.

In 1974, with the Turkish invasion, the club’s premises accommodated refugees who were expelled from their homes. The club was being forced to move back to a new destination that was granted by the Cypriot authorities in the Turkish Cypriot district of Larnaca. It was a very old house on the sea which was located 150 meters away from the area where is today the Zephyros restaurant. Sailing trainings were now taking place in front of the new lodgings and swimming training courses in the Marine Space outside the Larnaca marina, which was called a "swimming pool".

In 1980, the Larnaca Nautical Club participated in the Olympic Games in Moscow with sailing champions Marios and Dimitris Karapatakis. It was the first time that Cypriot sailors took part in the Olympic Games. In the same year, the new chairman of the club was Alkaios Petrides, Andreas Hadjikostas Vice President, and Andreas Psaras Secretary. A major effort was being made to concede state land and a meeting with the then President of the Republic of Cyprus was attended by Spyros Kyprianou.

In February 1981, the Council of Ministers approved the lease of a six acres of land for the 33-year-old coastal land club of Chrysopolitisses, with the right to renew, for the construction of permanent facilities. In 1981 the club’s swimming teams began training for the first time in a freshwater swimming pool, the swimming pool of the Community Center.

In March 1982 Georgios Karapatakis took over the Presidency with Andreas Psaras as Secretary. The new council was active in the construction of the premises. With a lot of efforts with donations from the members and friends of the club and with a lot of volunteer work, it was possible to raise the club´s building funding, which has some improvements to date.

In 1984 Dr. Annivas Frances, reelected as President was the chairman of the group, with Secretary Petros Krassas.

In 1988 the Larnaca Nautical Club and Cyprus were represented in the Seoul Olympic Games by the sailors Andros Karapatakis and Christos Christoforos.

In 1990, the club officially entered the register of the Cyprus Sports Organization and received the relevant recognition certificate No. 116. In the same year, Kikis Lefkaritis was elected as President, with Vice President Tassos Christoforou and Secretary Andreas Psara. Over the next three years and after major efforts, it was possible to allocate an additional piece of land next to the club in which a swimming pool of 25 meters was built, in which the club’s swimming teams were trained.

In 1998, the club created a water polo section. A team of 15 old swimmers participated in the first Pancyprian Men's Cup the same year. In the following years, teams of men, young people, and children were formed. Following the implementation of the new legislation for fast cruisers in 2000, the club was licensed by the Ministry of Transport and commenced testing of high speed crafts. In the same year, the swimmers Alexandros Arestis and Natalia Roubina and the sailing athlete Aimilios Economides took part in the Sydney Olympics in Australia. In the 2001 elections, Kikis Lefkaritis was reelected as President and Petros Krassas was elected Vice President.

In 2004, the swimmers Alexandros Arestis, Kyriakos Dimosthenous, and Giorgos Dimitriadis took part in the Olympic Games in Athens. In the following years, the Governing Council was making a great effort to persuade the COM and the republic that it was necessary to build a pool of 50 meters complying to Olympic specifications. Finally, the Olympic swimming pool of Larnaca was constructed at the Kition Athletic Center, which was delivered in 2006, and the club’s swimming and water polo teams were moved to the new swimming pool.

In 2005, a large warehouse was built next to the 25 meter swimming pool for sailing boats and canoe boats, which were resistant to weather conditions. A modern boat ramp was also constructed for easy entry of vessels into the sea.

In 2007, Petros Krassas was elected President, George Hadjigeorgiou Vice President and Loucia Chatzikonstanti secretary.

During 2008 there was an extensive renovation of the Club´s premises with a cost exceeding 160,000 Euros. In the years to come, the Council's efforts to develop sports with the purchase of vessels and equipment and the provision of more competent coaches continued. In 2008, at the initiative of Vice-President George Hadjigeorgiou and with the help of the Council, the club joined the Cyprus Triathlon Federation.

In 2017 George Hadjigeorgiou was elected as new President of the Club, with Nikos Nikolaos, Vice President, and Stylianos Michalis, Secretary.

Today the club has athletic sports teams competing in swimming, water polo, sailing, canoeing and triathlon. The club also takes part in offshore races with boat crews. Swimming and water polo teams are trained daily at the Olympic Larnaca Swimming Pool at the Kition Athletic Center and sailing and canoe-kayaking teams are trained in the sea area in front of the club.