Two Shores Unite in Marmaris for EUREKO 15th MIYC Channel Regatta

We are in Marmaris for the 15th Channel Regatta, which will be held on September 17-18-19.

It is being organized by Marmaris International Yacht Club under the main sponsorship of Eureko Insurance, in partnership with Rhodes Offshore Sailing Club.

The race, which started 17 years ago, is resuming this year after a mandatory 2-year break during the pandemic years.

Eureko Insurance has become the Main Sponsor of the races.

The entire organization is running smoothly. Representatives of the sponsor company are involved in the race from start to finish. They are contributing with enthusiasm.

Dutch General Manager Uco Pieter VEGTER is with us on the press boat, closely integrated with the club.

They always want to learn. They came across as very positive and very different to us.

We hope their support to our clubs continues.

In the early years of this race, I had produced programs covering the race for TRT and TV8 channels.

The race that starts in Marmaris finishes in Rhodes. The one that starts in Rhodes finishes in Marmaris.

Years have passed, and what was built seems to have been built on ice, and we've arrived at today.

Since the back-and-forth format ended years ago, the race now takes place in a single location each year.

This year, Marmaris is the host.

6 boats have arrived from Rhodes, carrying 68 Greek sailors.

A total of 18 teams have registered: Turkish, Russian, Dutch, and Greek.

It's the end of the season, but the season isn't quite over yet. Although those involved in tourism are physically here, their minds are still at their businesses.

"Still racing" say the 18 boats.

The Meteorology stations don't know what to predict for the race days.

Will it provide racing conditions or will it excite? It doesn't seem very likely.

On the evening of September 16th, the event begins with a Cocktail at the Club Facilities.

Saturday, September 17th

The day's first order of business is the briefing.

The race committee is ready, screens are on, announcements are about to begin.

GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING ALL, KALIMERA

Chief Race Officer Can Giray greets the racers in all languages;

"Good morning, Good Morning All, Kalimera.

Today we will conduct 1 planned race.

We have 18 boats racing and a single start will be given."

After that, the courses and rules are reviewed and they head out to the race course.

Northerly wind dominates the course. Preparations have begun, waiting for the wind to settle completely.

Meanwhile, the boat carrying the Rhodes Open Sea Sailing Club administrators approaches the MEDIA boat and presents a bottle of Greek wine as a gift.

What's wine doing on our boat, let's reciprocate.

We wave our hands and bid farewell to our neighbors.

But the Committee Boat comes to the rescue with protocol etiquette.

They invite the same boat alongside and present them with a Turkish wine.

This brings relief to our hearts.

Race preparations begin and the drone piloted by dear Onur Keleş takes off from the boat, hunting for footage.

While the wind is blowing at 11 knots from 240-250 degrees

The Committee announces that Route F-1 from the MIYC Routes will be sailed.

Approximately a 12 nm race.

When the clock strikes 12:40, the starting whistle blows for all classes.

The fleet starts with a clean start and begins racing on the course.

With tramontana winds, İçmeler tries to reach ahead.

There is no change yet in the wind direction and strength according to positions.

The winter trophies' "North of Keçi Island Impassable Due to Calm" doesn't exist today either.

As they exit from İçmeler bay to open sea, spinnakers are working and the fleet exits past the controversial construction.

Since the marine tourism season is still ongoing, there is no decrease in sea traffic.

The Coast Guard carefully monitors the fleet. They warn vessels that are about to deviate from course.

When the fleet comes off Turunç, the wind takes a lunch break. Neither spinnaker, nor mainsail, nor genoa are beneficial to the boats.

Kargataşı Island is like a magnetic field repelling in reverse.

No one can approach it.

The roundings begin with difficulty. The first boat to round is QUERENCIA in IRC 1 Class under the command of Evren Koncagül.

After she rounds, a long pause. Like refreshing the start.p>

As the turns are completed, the wind remembers there's a race going on here.

The action begins and continues to the finish line in the inner harbor.

İçmeler eagerly awaits those who will fall into broad reach.

Those who pass it comfortably cross the finish line.

QUERENCIA takes the first finish with a significant distance gap from the other boats.

When the finishes of the day's single race are recorded:

In the evening, dinner and awards ceremony at the club facilities. Competitors gather at friendship tables.

September 18, Sunday

The weather is calm, the seas are flat.

The committee is perplexed.

In time, a wind from 125 degrees at 8 knots begins to blow.

When it occasionally shows 12 knots, the race committee starts setting up the course.

We're inside the bay, clearly. Besides, two races were already planned for today.

The course is announced. Course -3

At 12:10, with the day's first start, boats begin racing on the course.

Competitors again proceed in small groups following similar tracks.p>

Racing boats leave their masts in the helm's wake faster than others.

Movements are more agile.

But we don't see a race on the same line from those who took the lead yesterday and increased their lead.

As the wind blows from the same direction at the same intensity, the first race is coming to an end.

At the end of the race;

The committee announces the 2nd race of the day without wasting time.

At 14:06, the race begins on the same course, from the same direction, with wind blowing at the same intensity.

The competitors know each other well by now.

While group competitions are seen at the buoy turns, we later witness individual performance improvement efforts.

At the end of the day's 2nd race:

There is an evening cocktail and the day's award ceremony.

September 19, Monday

When you go out on the course and the wind is ready, that race is immensely enjoyable.

It's that kind of day.

The wind is coming from 270 degrees but is gradually changing.

The committee is fully alert.

When the wind blowing between 12-13 knots settles at 240 degrees, the committee begins preparations.

The course is announced; G-1

The boats will remain in approximately 12 nm of helm water.

The race starts at 12:05 with the starting signal given to all classes.

The race doesn't start for Capekka 2 and VMG Sailing yachts.

Because they are OCS (on course side).

After returning and restarting properly, they are also on the course.

The boats are heading to the turning buoy at the announced bearing of 240 degrees. From there, to the outer sea.

EVERYONE TO 240, THEY TO 290

There are 3 boats not going to 240; 2 racing yachts and our Media boat following them for good footage.

We're getting good shots from those boats, so we continue. All the way to Marmaris.

We think "The committee set a good course, so people from the beaches can watch the race too," but there are many yachts anchored in that area. Including megayachts.

After the marina prices, the number of boats at anchor has increased abnormally.

So we're diving in among them. Into the anchored Marina.

Nobody is following us, tracking us, or caring about us.

We're almost about to run aground.

No, this won't do, binoculars, telephoto lens - finally we find the turning buoy.

When our bow points to it, the fleet leaders are turning and heading offshore.

We're approaching them with the power given by diesel. But those lagging behind are trying to close the gap with sail.

At the strait entrance, the wind increases its force to 18-20 knots.

The occasional ones flying spinnakers are struggling with control issues.

Right at the entrance to the strait, there's no wind. The boats are virtually in a pool.

Deflated spinnakers, racers trying to find solutions, swinging one way then the other.

We're waiting for them off Kargataşı Island.

When the wind starts to pick up, the Island is rounded.

The first boat to round was QUERENCIA in IRC 1 Class, helmed by Evren Koncagül. Just like on the first day, once again well ahead of the fleet.

The settled wind is bringing the fleet to the finish with different positions and different wind regimes.

When the finish line marked with balloons completed its duty;

During the final day races, at the turning mark position, an accident was prevented by the quick action of those on the referee and press boats as they were about to collide.

However, Race Officer Ezgi Kalaycı, who was recording the finishes, could not escape the wrath of the bees.

Get well soon to all of them.

Looking at the overall results at the end of the 3-day race;

Trophies are being distributed. The racers, club administrators and sponsors are very happy.

After giving out the awards, local folk dance music takes over.

With the images of those who hit the dance floor, the music and visuals of the race, we enter into Marmaris nights.

We followed the races in Marmaris for you. Next year it will be held in Rhodes.

We hope our eyes, cameras, and microphones will be able to see and report that to you as well.

CAN GİRAY

(Chief Umpire)

"As we stated in the briefing, weather reports showed low forecasts for the race days.

But in Marmaris, we first go out on the course, check the conditions, and set up the course accordingly. This has always been the case.

When we went out to sea on Saturday, there was wind coming from approximately 250-260 degrees. So we moved towards Yalancıboğaz.

By placing an offset buoy inside the bay, passing by Keçi Adası dock and in front of İçmeler, we conducted a warm-up race with a turn at Kargataşı Island.

But we weren't quite sure what to do on Sunday.

Because the weather reports looked very different.

All expectations were for northerly winds to work.

However, when we went out on the course, we saw that our gut feeling was right.

p>

A steady southerly wind came in at 10-12 knots from 125-130 degrees and continued.

We immediately set up an offset windward leg followed by a gate leeward course.

Conditions remained unchanged. As the first race finished, we started the second race on the same course without wasting time.

We knew that this is Marmaris and the wind decreases after 17:00 in the evening.

And that's exactly what happened.

The race finished at approximately 16:30, and the wind died at 17:00.

For us, these were two races that came out like winning the lottery. We also stuck to our planning.

On the final day, at 11:00, a northerly wind blowing from 270-280 degrees later shifted to the west.

With the wind steady at 230-240 degrees at 13-14 knots, occasionally reaching 20 knots, we set an offset buoy inside the bay, then exited through the strait to round Kargataşı Island outside,

and the finish was completed inside the bay.

In the end, we completed the planned 4 races within 3 days.

We had them race on windward legs, leeward legs, broad reaches, and close reaches in a fair manner that would be equal for every boat.

We fulfilled our obligation to the racers.

We believe we set up the fairest course for all participating boats."

ZAFER ÖZNUR

(President of Marmaris International Yacht Club)

"Since Channel Regatta had a 2-year break due to the pandemic, this is the 17th year.

When the management 17 years ago decided to organize this race with Rhodes Offshore Sailing Club, the format was different.

We participated as racers.

It was held one year in Marmaris, one year in Rhodes.

The race would start in one location and finish in the other.

It was an event lasting nearly a week at the beginning of the season.

Over time, this became difficult more for Rhodes Offshore Sailing Club than for us.

Back then it was held in June, the busiest time of the season, and since everyone works in the tourism sector, the format and calendar were changed.

It started being held one year in Rhodes, one year in Marmaris. It continued like this for years.

In the last 2 years, the races couldn't take place due to the pandemic.

After that break, we proposed that this year's race be held in September.

They found it suitable and accepted.

We started making our preparations according to this calendar.

The number of boats from Rhodian sailors also increased this year.

Next year we will organize this event in Rhodes under the organization of Rhodes Yacht Club.

This time our boats and teams will go there."

STAVROS STAMATIOS

(Rhodes Offshore Sailing Club President)

"We had taken a break from this race we organize every year due to the pandemic.

This year in Marmaris we raced with 6 boats and 68 Rhodian sailors.

The weather was quite favorable for racing and the committee set out very nice courses.

We thank the race committee very much.

Next year in Rhodes, we are also planning very beautiful race courses. I invite everyone to the races from now on."

Author's Note;

The wine brought by the Rhodian sailors stayed with me.

I finished the news and now I can sip it with peace of mind in the Aegean waters where the storm currently prevails.

Bon Appétit to All of Us.