NEW YORK – The 3rd Annual Corfu Emerald Cup swimming event is scheduled for June 15-16, and it comes with exciting new features. After a big boost in participation and spectator attendance in its second year, the upcoming Corfu Emerald Cup will be a new showcase Stand-up Paddle (SUP) Euro Tour Grand Slam event with 12,000 euro in prize money. Top racers from all over the world will compete, including five-time SUP world champion Connor Baxter, the “fastest man in SUP.”

Baxter said, “I’m looking forward to paddling the same course Olympic athletes swam. What an incredible opportunity!”

The Emerald Cup will be a Green Race this year, partnering with the local Let’s Do This Corfu! efforts to protect Corfu’s oceans and beaches through active recycling.

The race is organized under the auspices of the Municipality of Corfu, the SUP EURO Tour, the National SUP and Surf Association and the Nautical Athletic Club of Corfu (NAOK). This international competition includes three separate race categories – Open Water Swim, Stand-Up Paddle (SUP), and Fun. The Euro Tour SUP 14,800 meter (Pro category) takes place on Saturday, June 15, followed by Sunday’s Let’s Do This Corfu Challenge, a 3,500 meter Open Water Swim and SUP race in the Fun category for everyone, athletes, spectators, families, and friends.

SUP races will begin at the Angsana hotel beach, and the open water swim will start at the Church of Vlacherna where competitors will charge into the crystalline waters of Pontikonisi and drive hard toward the finish line – the world famous oasis Beach of Benitses at the Angsana Corfu Hotel (a Banyan Tree Resort opening soon). All the races will be broadcast on a live video feed viewable from the beach.

On Sunday, June 16, the exciting 3,500 meter Let’s Do This Corfu Challenge will highlight a day of fun for both athletes and spectators, including activities for all ages that promote recycling to Keep Corfu Clean, followed by a post-race after-party. By just showing up and having fun participants will be supporting the important mission of keeping Corfu’s beaches clean and pristine.

Situated in the heart of the Ionian Sea, Corfu has been frequented and fantasized about since ancient times. Long sought after by the Venetians, French and the British, their historical influence is evident throughout the town’s architecture and landmarks. A UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site, Corfu ranks amongst Europe’s most fascinating destinations. With its many fine restaurants, bars, spas, sports facilities, and world-class beaches – all exemplified in its new flagship resort, the Angsana Corfu Hotel – the Annual Corfu Emerald Cup embodies the trademark Hellenic combination of history, beauty, culture, sport, and fun.

Christos Epperson, best known for producing and directing the acclaimed documentary The 11th Day: Crete 1941, runs the event and is the race Director. He told The National Herald about how the project came about. “My good friend who is the host hotel owner and I were talking and I absolutely had to do something that helps Greece and her people. I am about projects that help our people, not self-indulgent endless party events that do nothing. The Cup is not just a race – it is very special. Great people coming together to show the True Greek Spirit… Emerald Cup is a ‘Woodstock’ of goodness and shows the True Hellenic spirit in all things. The Cup is a race but more important it’s a symbol that people care,” he said.

Epperson noted that once the hotel opens, special needs children, who currently train in an outdoor pool in winter, will also have access to the best indoor pool facility in Corfu.  He told TNH, “I have a personal interest in working to promote the good work of the Special Olympics, especially for children. When I was a child I received extensive physical therapy and occupational therapy because of a severe sensory integration disability and dyslexia. The wonderful therapists of the Pediatrics Program of the Easter Seals Society for children and adults with disabilities helped me beyond measure. I, in turn, always look forward to opportunities to help special needs children.”

More information on the 2019 Corfu Emerald Cup is available via email:

[email protected] and online: www.CorfuEmeraldCup.com.