Leadership Transition at TAYK: Cahit Üren Becomes Honorary Member, Can Giray Takes Over as General Manager

In the sailing community, the Turkish Offshore Racing Club (TAYK), which has contributed in many areas since its establishment in 1971, such as the development and ownership of sailing sports in Turkey, organizing yacht races at international standards,

and implementing the IRC measurement system in our country, is one of the

most important clubs in the community.

Cahit Üren, who has served as General Manager in TAYK management for many years, is transferring his duties to Can Giray and will continue his work as an honorary member of the club.

I met Cahit Üren in 2001 when I started maritime publishing.

During this time, I witnessed his many positive qualities: knowledgeable, experienced, practical, solution-oriented, compliant with rules, polite, a man of his word, and much more.

For years, we obtained accurate information from him and had our acquired knowledge verified by Cahit Ağabey (Brother Cahit).

When you asked Cahit Ağabey for something, you never had to think about it again.

His relationships with his colleagues while doing and accomplishing his work were heartwarming examples.

He would organize and execute pranks for his friends.

Travels and organizations with him always passed in joy.

The way yacht races were organized adapted to what we believed was the right approach.

He always endeavored to hold the races, making every effort to overcome obstacles, and succeeded every time.

His determination each time to make the challenging downwind race happen is always before my eyes.

His performance at international races with high participation in Göcek, Marmaris, Turgutreis, and Istanbul was always masterful, like

"pulling a hair from butter" as the saying goes.

His use of technology for this cause in recent years, despite his age, is commendable.

The communication groups he established and his live broadcasts are exemplary to the community.

During the pandemic when going out to sea was prohibited, the virtual yacht races he organized on computers are a recent example of how he overcame difficulties and achieved success.

When you're that successful and beloved, naturally you have branches hanging from the main trunk that will be stoned.

He is someone who knew how to give the back of his hand as a proper response to those who attacked these branches through official channels, trying to break and destroy them, and continue on his path.

Now, Cahit Üren, who possesses these qualities, is transitioning from TAYK General Manager to TAYK Honorary Member.

Cahit Üren was born on August 8, 1942, in Istanbul,

In 1957, he entered the Naval High School to become a Naval Officer, following the family profession. He completed Naval High School in 1961 and the Naval Academy in 1965,

He served in various ships and units in the Turkish Navy.

He retired at his own request on April 20, 1985.

After serving briefly as a bank and holding company executive, he started working at what was then called Açık Deniz Yarış Kulübü (AYK) on July 1, 1985, and

continued this duty uninterruptedly for 38 years until March 31, 2022.

Now, while continuing to serve sailing on one hand, he will continue to compile his unfinished memoirs on the other.

CAHİT ÜREN

"I am very proud of the work we have done during my tenure as general manager at Türkiye Açıkdeniz Yarış Kulübü. I am very pleased with the level our club and our races have reached. I would like to thank once again all my colleagues who contributed and worked hard for this development. I wholeheartedly believe that we will continue this momentum under the management of our new General Manager Can Giray. I will continue to serve our club as an Honorary Member. I wish our new management endless success."

I also had the opportunity to get to know Can Giray, to whom Cahit Ağabey handed over the helm, in this environment for a long time.

An intellectual who organizes good races, always strives to make the race happen, has tremendous organizational capacity, is very fast, takes care to work in harmony with his colleagues,

and has extensive command of technology.

He has been working together with Cahit Ağabey for a long time.

Can Giray was born on July 2, 1964 in Ankara

He completed his education at Ankara Deneme High School and 9 Eylül University Faculty of Business Administration in İzmir.

Since 1987, he has undertaken various roles in different insurance companies in the Turkish Insurance Sector.

Most recently, he served as Assistant General Manager at Besso Brokerage, one of Lloyd's brokers.

Although he has responsibilities in all branches, his main experience is in Marine and Aviation insurance and Marine Cargo insurance.

Since 2009, he has been serving the Turkish Sailing community as a race official, taking on various responsibilities in different races.

He served for many years as a volunteer search and rescue personnel at AKUT and DAKSAR institutions and participated in various training programs.

Currently, he holds a TYF Sailing Referee certificate as well as a TSSF/CMAS 1* Diving Instructor certificate.

Giray also has four published detective novels.

CAN GİRAY

"My Dear Cahit Ağabey, I am aware that you are irreplaceable.

On the path you have opened and within the framework of what you have taught, I will endeavor to carry the TAYK "flag" you have entrusted to me with as much fairness and care as possible, until I pass it on to the next colleague.

My fortune is to have been able to work with a "mentor" like you, my misfortune is to be the one who comes after you.

With my love and respect."

In the Statement Made by TAYK Regarding This Change of Duty;

Cahit Üren, the "Cahit Ağabey" of the yacht and sailing world, General Manager of the Turkish Offshore Racing Club, who has worked selflessly for many years to popularize offshore racing in Turkey, to spread maritime culture to more people, and to encourage our children to take an interest in water sports, will transition to Honorary Board Membership.

Can Giray will assume the General Manager position, replacing Cahit Üren, who ensured that offshore racing became institutionalized and sustainable during his tenure, supported today's master offshore racers since their childhood, and enabled the implementation of international classification standards in sailing and yacht racing.

VEDAT TEZMAN (TAYK Commodore)

"We will always remember him with love and respect for his contributions to TAYK and the sport of sailing. As an Honorary Board Member of TAYK, we will always continue to consult Cahit Üren, and I believe he will always continue to guide the TAYK family."

AHMET EKER (TAYK Vice Commodore)

"There isn't a single person in the sailing world who doesn't love Cahit Üren.

Cahit Üren, a highly respected, affectionate and guiding person, is a mariner who pioneered the establishment of all yacht clubs in our country, trained numerous sailors

and race officers, and initiated all races.

His contribution to sailing and yacht sports is undeniable.

Without his wisdom, our sport would not be at this point today.

We will continue to benefit from his guidance in the coming period."

TURKEY OFFSHORE RACING CLUB (TAYK) WHERE THIS CHANGE TOOK PLACE

In our country, surrounded by seas on three sides, yachting and sailing have advanced considerably, especially thanks to well-established institutions.

The love of sailing, which began with the Naval Academy School ships and later became widespread with sailing dinghies, is leading to results that make us proud in the international community with the support of sailing clubs established along our coasts.

Turkey Offshore Racing Club (TAYK) is one of the pioneers of this development.

On May 08, 1971; the famous Turkish yachtsmen of the period participating in races - Cent ARDAN, Samim ARDUMAN, Faruk BİRGEN, Fahir ÇELİKBAŞ, İzzettin ÇİNTAV, Süleyman DİRVANA, Spiridon ETNOPULOS, Kerim KERİMOĞLU, Muhittin ÖNEY, Nedim ÖZGEN, Alberto PENHAS, İzzet PENSOY, Şakir SABUNCUOĞLU, Semih TUĞLU and Muammer TUKSAVUL;

Founded the Offshore Racing Club (AYK) with the aim of conducting yacht races according to international rules, introducing international rating and handicap systems to Turkey, inviting foreign yachtsmen to races to be held in Turkey, and enabling Turkish yachtsmen to promote Turkish yachting by participating in races abroad.

In its early days, AYK started by training measurers in England for the IOR system, which was the most widely applied "rating and handicap system" in the world at that time, and organizing its races in that class;

Due to the absence of marinas in Istanbul at that time, yachts had to spend the winter on land, so within the limited time period between June and September, only three races were organized: the Marmara Cup, the Triangle Route race, and the Turkish Naval Foundation Cup races.

As the first international organization, in 1980, by bringing one leg of La Trans Méditerranée race to Kuşadası and organizing the Kuşadası-Piraeus leg from there, after extending the Naval Forces Cup race to Thessaloniki in 1990, in 2000, together with the Nautical Club of Thessaloniki and with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, organized the "Dostluk Kupaları-Friendships Cup" race, pioneering the winds of friendship to blow in the Aegean Sea.

The marinas built in the mid-1980s extended the time yachts stayed at sea, and AYK also extended the racing season to start in March and end in mid-December by adding the Spring Cup, then the Winter Cup races, and other races scheduled between these dates. In 1993, with the Council of Ministers' decision dated 12.06.1993 and numbered 93/4531, it was decided to use the word "Turkey" at the beginning of its name, and the club, which took the name "Türkiye Açıkdeniz Yarış Kulübü" (TAYK), as a requirement of its name, in order to both contribute to raising a maritime generation and to make Turkey's voice heard in foreign countries; in many regions of Turkey

It has pioneered the establishment of sailing and yacht clubs such as Göcek Yacht Club, Marmaris International Yacht Club, Turgutreis Bodrum Yacht Club, Ege Açıkdeniz Yacht Club, Foça Yelken İhtisas Kulübü, and organizes races throughout all our seas (such as Naval Forces Cup, East Aegean Sailing Week, Marmaris International Yacht Week, Göcek Yacht Week, Göcek Autumn Cup, Bodrum Cup, Foça Regatta, Christmas Regatta, Black Sea Cup) in addition to local races organized in Istanbul.

TAYK, while incorporating yacht owners in Turkey, provides technical and cultural services not only to its members but to all yachting enthusiasts, from centerboard athletes to university students, due to its belief that love and understanding are strengthened through togetherness at sea, and strives to increase the number of sailors by addressing a wide audience of yacht sportsmen.