Calm Weather Dominates Racing Week

The Marmaris race course experienced September-like weather at the end of October.

At the 30th Marmaris International Race Week, a last-minute participation brought the number of racing boats to 124.

Russian sailors led the participation numbers again with 83 teams.

16 Turkish teams competed on the course this year.

On the evening of October 27, all participants, organizers, and the race committee gathered in the ceremony tent for the briefing.

This year, the stage setup and screens were prepared differently.

In a visual feast, the race committee was first introduced to the competitors.

Then a very clear and visually enriched comprehensive briefing took place.

All details of the upcoming races were explained one by one with visuals on the screens.

This was followed by the opening cocktail, and the black CUBAN CRISTAL band took the stage. A colorful opening ceremony took place with dance groups.

The 30th Marmaris International Race Week began on the course on Monday, October 28, with the first races.

It concluded with the final race on Friday, November 1, which could not be held.

124 boats completed numerous races inside and outside Marmaris Harbor over 5 days.

As the weather conditions materialized according to forecasts, the yachts raced in quite moderate conditions.

The entire fleet waited on the course with the committee for long hours throughout the week to reach wind limits.

Over a thousand sailors enjoyed the last warmth of Marmaris sun and occasionally the sea as well.

In the races conducted in 2 fleets, the IRC groups consisting of 7 divisions and the IRC CHARTER groups consisting of 5 divisions were raced by different Race Committees on different

courses.

All groups consisting of 124 boats appeared on the same course in the Coastal Race held in the outer harbor on Thursday, October 31st, and in the Inner Harbor race that could not be

completed on Friday, November 1st.

It was heartening to see this large participation on the same course on the first day when races were scheduled to be sailed.

Being photographed together on the day when the press is most crowded and news breaks first could have turned the participation in Marmaris into a visual spectacle.

October 28 Monday NETSEL MARINA Day

Although starts were scheduled for 11:00 AM, both fleets had to wait for wind until 1:00 PM.

IRC Groups completed 2 races each in the Inner Harbor, while IRC CHARTER groups completed 2 races each in the outer harbor.

By the end of the day, the total number of starts was 14.

The first starts took place with wind blowing from 240 degrees at 7-8 knots.

At times, the wind increased up to 14 knots.

During the 2nd start of the IRC groups, while the wind was blowing at 12 knots, 2 SALONAs racing in IRC 3 collided with each other before the start was given.

The collision led to a protest.

Towards the end of the 2nd race, as the wind lost its strength, some boats were unable to complete their finish within the time limit.

With the decision made this year to award prizes for each race separately, the activity in the ceremony area continued until late hours.

October 29 Tuesday MARMARİS MUNICIPALITY Day

The fleets changed their courses.

After another long wait for wind, the start procedures began.

The starts commenced with wind blowing at 8 knots from 300 degrees.

As the IRC groups headed towards Kargataşı Island, the wind began to drop off Turunç.

Congestion around the island, spinnakers overlapping with each other, boats pushing against one another in very light conditions.

As the island was rounded, the wind freshened and the fleet literally started racing with a new start.

With the wind decreasing and increasing, the committee extended the finish time limit.

Subsequently, the finishes were taken.

In the evening, the trophies found their owners with a long award ceremony at the ceremony area.

30 October Wednesday SETUR MARINAS Day

The weather is no different from previous days.

In fact, it appears to be even lighter.

The IRC groups will race in the inner bay, the IRC CHARTER groups in the outer bay.

The races begin with wind from 170 degrees, slowly shifting direction throughout the day.

According to these changes, the committees are also making adjustments.

Inside, a course shortening is given in the first race.

In the 2nd race of these groups, wind direction and strength changes are literally driving the committee and racers crazy.

Finally, an abandonment is announced for IRC 1-2-3 groups.

Submitted redress requests and protests with hearings continue until late hours.

As the SINGLE LADIES group's stage performance in the ceremony area is well-received and runs long, it also takes time for the SETUR MARINAS trophies to find their owners.

Thursday, October 31st

The most feared day at the beginning of the week.

It was planned as the coastal race day, but meteorological forecasts didn't show the day as suitable for racing.

Even changing the day was considered.

Especially after last year's coastal race memory.

The committee took its position in the outer harbor at the announced early hours. Followed by 124 boats.p>

Mirror-like sea at the İçmeler bay. Swimming rituals are frequently taking place.

Not for show, but to cool down in the hot southwesterly weather.

As the hours pass, Chief Race Officer Can Giray somehow manages to bring wind to the course from somewhere.

While saying "this way, that way", the start procedures have already begun.

Wind is blowing from 110 degrees at 8 knots.

This is all the power Giray could muster for such a vast sea.

If it were in the inner harbor, it would be a couple of knots more, but anyway.

With endless consecutive starts, 124 boats are on the wide course.

The boats will pass south of Yılancık Island, round the turning mark off Ekincik, and return to İçmeler exit.

Bird's eye view: 32 nautical miles.

The fleet is moving, but neither two-boat nor three-boat battles are being captured on camera. The entire race continues with this wind that increases slightly and decreases slightly.p>

From time to time, the lack of wind at the finish line keeps the race committee jumping up and down.

Well, when boats come head to tail...

Finally, a course shortening arrives and saves the race.

The course is shortened by half. When the finishes are completed, the wind is "0".

No evening activities; in case the race runs long. But this time the race was shortened.

At night, the expected rain for Friday takes control of the region with thunder and lightning.

The rain that falls until morning leaves only a few drops for Friday.

November 1st Friday

We wake up to a rainy-free but cloudy Marmaris experiencing the dampness of the night.

No wind.

The final race will take place inside the bay with the participation of the entire fleet.

Committee at anchor, boats at anchor, we're at anchor.

No wind, overcast skies, beautiful views and the helpless committee's search for wind.

The little wind that exists is constantly shifting direction.

Not suitable wind strength for conducting the race either.

The committee heads to Yalancı Boğaz area, which usually saves the races in terms of wind direction.

Wait, wait, announcements, announcements, occasional small drops.

No, there's nothing.

On the last day of the week, with a short race, results will be compiled and collected, everyone will prepare for the awards ceremony.

Most importantly, when this race is sailed, teams will earn the right to discard one race.

There are quite a few waiting for this.

But Poseidon says "That's all from me, do what you can" and as the Chief Umpire presses the radio button to announce that the race will not be held, boats head toward Netsel Marina.

As the boats enter the marina, the northerly wind starts blowing so strong that you'd take it into a brawl, into a fight.

Those who protest, those who speak up.

But the announced race deadline doesn't officially justify any of them.

In the evening, closing night at the ceremony area.

It begins with stage shows and dances, and concludes with a long awards ceremony.

Next year, the 31st Marmaris International Race Week will take place. The club has a whole year ahead in light of the lessons learned and feedback received.

CEM TEKDAĞ

(MIYC PRESIDENT)

This year we wanted to increase our participation target compared to last year and reach 130. 124 participants is good in my opinion.

The number of racers also increased to 1,105 people.

Its contribution to Marmaris is significant.

We tried to make some changes to the programs.

Our evening events became more colorful and we received positive feedback about this.

As for the wind conditions during race week, it doesn't give us exactly what we want.

It's either too much or too little.

There's nothing we can do about that.

We wish we could have held the final day race.

There is satisfaction across all classes.

We receive different requests regarding the organization. We will take all of them into consideration for our next event.

This race started as an amateur organization and has become professional.

Among our future plans is to attract ambitious domestic and foreign racing yachts to our course.

All of this also depends on having a strong sponsor.

Association members are involved in this work with dedication.

What we will focus on in the 31st year; a calendar with suitable weather conditions, attracting powerful yachts in the racing class to the course in terms of participation.

CAN GİRAY

(Chief Race Officer)

"We were expecting light and low winds but it wasn't as bad as we feared.

We had a risk of not being able to hold most races. Only on the final day we couldn't hold the race we planned inside Marmaris Bay.

This year there were 7 groups in the IRC Classes.

In one race we gave abandonment to IRC 1-2 and 3.

Unfortunately, it couldn't be repeated.p>

In very light winds, we did our best to conduct the races by applying all the rules at our disposal.

7 out of the planned 8 races were completed.

As I mentioned, IRC 1-2-3 also had one race short.

Since there were 7 races, there was no discard.

Generally, we didn't experience any situation that would create problems.

The 2 committees conducted the planned races in a coordinated manner.

The wind strength differs between the outer harbor and inner harbor.

The wind inside was always higher.

We made alternative preparations for the Geographical Route.

In this race, the buoy off Ekincik was rounded, but since the decreasing wind would not be able to carry the fleet to the finish line, we shortened the course.

The route, which was 32 NM, was reduced to 17 NM.

The fleet completed their finishes, the wind died.

ZAFER ÖZNUR

(Miyc-COMMODORE)

In windless conditions, races still took place thanks to the efforts of the race officials.

We saw that participants were happy both on the course and in the event area.

The number of foreigners who have made it a habit to regularly attend our regatta is steadily increasing.

In contrast, the number of Turkish boats is decreasing, which needs to be increased.

The number of local racing boats is very few.

We take complaints and suggestions very seriously.

Taking all of this into consideration, we will start planning next year from today onwards.

After all races sailed during the 30th Marmaris International Race Week

In IRC 1 MATRAK 2 (Orhan ÖZDAŞ-TUR)

In IRC 2 ST. ANNA (Vlas KADETOV-RUS)

In IRC 3 CHOEST RIDER (Sergei MUSIKHIN-RUS)

In IRC 4 SYFONY (Timakov ANTON-RUS)

In IRC 5 ADA SAILOR (Ali OZTURK-TUR)

In IRC 6 LETTLAND (Igor BUKOVSKIS-LAT)

In IRC 7 CLEVELLA (Leo KOLFF-NED)

In IRCCHR 1 GÖKOVA 3 (Valentin NIKOLOV-BUL)

In IRCCHR 2 LORELEY (Aleksei IVANOV-RUS)

In IRCCHR 3 MYMOON (Budykho ALEKSANDR-RUS)

In IRCCHR 4 HIDE AWAY (Mikhail TEKUCHEV-RUS)

In IRCCHR 5 KAÇAMAK (Ali TOKER-TUR)

Were the teams that earned first place trophies in their classes.

Russian teams participating in the week with 83 teams won 6 first place trophies out of 12 classes, while Turkish teams participating with 16 teams completed the race with 3 trophies.