ORSA Leg at Çeşme - EAYK Winter Trophy 5th Stage
EAYK Winter Trophy 5th Leg Yacht Racing Report
After following the news and watching footage from afar for a long time, I finally made it to the Çeşme course this weekend, breaking through all obstacles.
I will be covering the EAYK Winter Trophy 5th Leg yacht races.
I have been following and reporting on the activities of Ege Açık Deniz Kulübü (Aegean Offshore Sailing Club) for many years from time to time.
EAYK OVER THE YEARS
Our acquaintance goes back to the times (2001) when the club was located within the Çeşme Altın Yunus hotel. Commodore Mete Tümay was in charge back then.
We filmed the challenging races within Ildır Bay for television.
Later, during the times when it was located in Seferihisar Teos Marina, the Sığacık Bay course races filled our archives.
The camaraderie of the yachtsmen who came to race and the evening festivities added color to our news coverage.
Finally, the move was made to Çeşme, which I call the "Challenging Course".
Çeşme Marina opened its arms to the club.
The short path of EAYK seen in writing is actually a period that passed through a long and arduous struggle.
Within this flow, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, there are also other clubs from the region in solidarity; like Urla, Kuşadası, Foça.
In fact, in many races, they take the helm on boats affiliated with these clubs and throw themselves into the EAYK (Ege Açık Yelken Kulübü) activities.
In recent years of this flow, Commodore Dr. Akif Sezer and the dynamic management team's active, persistent, from-nothing-to-something dynamics have always been
prominent.
Although the center of these activities appears to be Çeşme, Çeşme is also the address where people regularly coming from other regions meet.
Besides those coming from Istanbul, Bodrum, Marmaris, there are also the indispensable Ankara-based Ankara Sailing Club athletes.
Friday, April 15th, when I arrived in Çeşme, a sunny, sparkling Çeşme welcomed me.
But what will happen tomorrow, or the day after.
For a week now, meteorological stations have been all over the place with their race day forecasts.
Everything's in the mix.
"We certainly can't predict what they can't," we say, and wait for the fateful days.
16 April. Saturday
We woke up to relatively sunny weather again in Çeşme.
At 10:00, during the briefing held in the area in front of the club office, Commodore Akif Sezer first welcomed the participants and handed the floor to Chief Race Officer Eşref Uzun.
"Today we have an unstable wind. Forecasts show southerly conditions after 12:00.
That's why we've planned a southerly course.
Starts will take place in 2 groups.
Our planned first race course is: Geographical-5.
The weather is unstable, if the intensity is low we may finish with one race.
If an unexpected wind comes in, we're planning to hold two races.
Start Time: 11:30."
As the briefing with the full attendance of all skippers concluded, a southerly wind began to pick up inside the marina.
As the prevailing wind carried clouds into the area, the weather began to close in and darken.
Activity on the pontoons. Preparations are proceeding at full speed.
I will be following the race from the yacht PERLEWHITE.
The boat is a HANSE 545. Very spacious and quite comfortable for filming.
The crew is the successful BOREAS team we've been following for many years. Experienced, meticulous.
BREEZE IN THE MARINA, SHARP ON THE COURSE
The wind blowing inside the marina is not visible on the course.
Exactly as predicted.
The race committee boat has dropped anchor, clearly reading the conditions.
p> We're witnessing different wind zones across the extensive course. Gusty areas, lulls. Whatever you're looking for, it's there. Everything keeps changing. It's taking time for the weather to settle. Long waits, postponements. Never mind, teams are practicing on the water. Finally, the race will start. The course is as announced: Geographic-5 from ORC Routes. Once the capricious wind settles at 210 degrees and blows at 13 knots, the committee couldn't be happier. 29 BOATS ON THE COURSE At 13:10, IRC A Groups consisting of 16 boats, At 13:20, IRC B and Support class with 13 boats find themselves on the course. On the extensive course, from our perspective, if you nail the start, you nail it. If you don't, the fleet scatters across the wide course. JEWELER'S PRECISION ON THE RACE BOAT On the boat I'm aboard, trim adjustments are being made with jeweler's precision. The boat is massive, it won't tolerate mistakes. But the wind isn't behaving. The strong wind at the start keeps dropping. It varies according to position. If we tried to write down its directions and strengths, the article would be filled with them; that much. EYES TIRED FROM TRACKING COMPETITORS On our boat, closely tracking competitors is also a task. The fleet gradually spreads out across the course over time. Boats are seeking their chances in different areas. The wind continues to decrease until the turning buoys are rounded. While continuing at low power, the strong currents on both sides of the islands become effective when rounding Süngükaya (Fener) Island and Boğaz Island. Boats sailing at low speed and insufficient wind experience dangerous moments while passing very close to the Islands to shorten the route, and are forced to make unnecessary tacks. Boats rounding the Islands and rushing to approach the finish line lose a lot of ground with tacks due to the changing wind direction. LOOK INTO MY EYES, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND Our boat and many other boats are literally grazing the committee boat as they cross the finish line. Eye to eye with the race officers. The race we started upwind, we finish again upwind in the same area with changing winds. When the lengthy finish procedures are completed; ERKAN BİLSEV-AYDIN SAL (Team Perlewhite) "Despite the variable weather and despite showing every effort as a team, we couldn't achieve the result we wanted. We raced in very shifty winds. Some tactics worked, some didn't. It was actually a tough race. Of course, all the fleet boats were affected by these conditions just like us." At the end of the day's single race, when the finishes are completed; Sailors enjoying the course during the day filled Çeşme venues at night. While enjoying the race in the charming nostalgic streets, the moon shows its face through the clouds. 17 April, Sunday The rain that started towards dawn is relatively subsiding as we head to the briefing, but it's a fact that we're waking up to a wet day. The flag we see on the Çeşme hills says "There's wind." A short briefing under light rain. Chief Race Officer Eşref Uzun, "Meteorological stations are updated 3 times a day. The third one is also different. If westerly wind blows on the course, we'll be cautious. It's been blowing from the east since yesterday. Today we want to implement a triangular route. Conditions are open to surprises. There may also be course shortening." RAIN IS COMING After the briefing, we head out to the race course as the rain intensifies. Today I will be following the race from the committee boat and occasionally from the support boats. As you know, it's raining. The boat is large. The Çeşme race course doesn't offer many options in terms of anchoring for committee boats and buoys. The depths are considerable. We anchor at 29 meters far off Çiftlik Köy. IF ONLY THE WIND WOULD SETTLE BEFORE THE OFFICIALS CRACK Wind measurements are overwhelming the officials. Continuous measurements are being taken on the boat and in different areas of the course. Constant direction changes, increasing-decreasing wind strength, and rain sweeping across the course. TRIANGLE ON LAND, GEOGRAPHICAL ON THE COURSE The changing conditions push the committee at 12:07 to switch from a buoy race to a geographical race decision. The Geographical-2 Route from the EAYK Routes will be sailed. After the boats leaving the marina arrive at the starting area and declare themselves on deck, the procedures begin. The wind at those moments is blowing from 345 degrees at 8-10 Knots. I say at those moments because it's changing constantly. MELTEMİ Boat, racing in IRC B-1 Class, withdraws from the race due to engine failure. CHANGING WIND IN TWO CONSECUTIVE STARTS At 12:48 IRC A takes the start. The wind is sufficient and they present beautiful scenes. At 12:58 IRC B and Support class boats take the start. But the wind dropped, the starts are in "Struggle Captain" mode. ATTENTION THERE IS A MOTORBOAT ON THE COURSE As the fleet spreads across the course, a motorboat arrives from the North, enthusiastically plunging into the course and heading south. Today the fleet is getting very separated from each other. The rain is hitting hard and will continue to do so. When rounding the islands, the wind direction change is around 180 degrees. Racing in challenging conditions. The committee extends the race time and announces it as 17:00. The awards ceremony was supposed to be at 17:00, but… WHAT IF THE ENGINE STARTS? UYAN SAILING SCHOOL, racing in IRC A-2 Class, announces starting their engine to prevent a collision. Oh no, they complete the race but… COURSE TOUR WITH FAST BOAT We take advantage of the rain easing and go to photograph the mark roundings with Çeşme Marina's boat, which does 28 knots. Meanwhile, breakdowns in the fleet are increasing significantly. The first finish is made by ARKAS COMET A from the 2 boats in IRC A-0 group. SCHOOLS ON HOLIDAY Afterwards, the race officials, whose professions are generally teachers, virtually go on semester break. A huge time gap with the followers. No whistle, no flag. Followers want this meticulous, well-equipped and excellent ARKAS team to have equivalent competitors. There was a time when we used to follow with pleasure and interest... HEAVY RAIN ON THE COURSE The sudden downpour, with occasional wind, allowed us to witness different course scenes. We hear that a race taking place in Bodrum was not held due to severe weather conditions and boats took shelter in various locations. VESSELS' PRECAUTIONARY ANCHORAGE Throughout the entire Aegean Coast, the unpredictable weather conditions were causing even some large vessels to drop anchor off the Çeşme shores. Five boats from the fleet, separated from each other, were announcing their retirement from the race over time, believing they would not be able to finish. RO-RO ALSO MADE AN APPEARANCE While they were slowly leaving the course on the Çeşme route, the RO-RO vessel coming from Italy heading to Çeşme port on the same route provided us with different perspectives alongside the racing boats. SECONDS BEFORE THE LINE CLOSES Seconds before the race line closed, THE CODE, racing in IRC A-1 class, crossed the line at 16:59:28. ALLEGRA, racing behind in IRC B-2, is recorded as did not finish the race. Today's race, which started with an upwind start, was completed with an upwind finish due to a major wind shift. When the finishes were completed; Meanwhile, an announcement was made by the Management that the prize ceremony, planned to be held outdoors at 17:00, was postponed to the next leg. Overall results at the end of EAYK Winter Trophy 5th Leg; We were at the Çeşme course where 2 races were completed in 2 days in very variable conditions in terms of intensity and direction. WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE ACCORDING TO CONDITIONS WAS ACCOMPLISHED We witnessed the best that could be done under the existing conditions. We left Çeşme in wet weather, with longing for its sunny days. The name says it all; Winter Trophy. EAYK Winter Trophy 6th and final leg will be sailed on May 20-21.
