35th Marmaris Race Week: Autumn Sailing in Summer Warmth

We are in Marmaris for the 35th edition of the race week, which has taken place in Marmaris waters exactly 34 times before.

The tourism season hasn't ended yet. In the last days of October, it feels like the beginning of September.

SUMMER CONTINUES IN MARMARIS

The beaches are full, the venues are full, and the activity among marine vessels continues.

The harsh weather conditions experienced in most previous years will not dominate this year's race week.

Meteorology websites are reflecting the same forecasts.

November will be entered with racing in daily sunny weather.

Some changes have been made to the organization this year compared to previous years.

First of all, the complimentary berthing for boats at Netsel Marina during race days has been discontinued. There is only a ten percent discount available.p>

MUĞLA METROPOLITAN AND MARMARİS MUNICIPALITIES HAVE STEPPED UP

Muğla Metropolitan and Marmaris Municipalities have come to the rescue of the organization.

Boats that wish can moor at Marmaris quay free of charge.

Around 35 boats have added a beautiful appearance to the quay, to Marmaris.

Their equipment is in tents in the security area set up by the municipality along the quay.
A complete festival atmosphere prevails.

This year, 104 boats from 19 countries and over eleven hundred athletes are participating.

IRC and Charter groups will race on sometimes the same, sometimes different courses.

FROM TENT TO BAR

This year there is no famous event tent.

I'm the one most pleased about this. I didn't like that tent.

The organizing committee has made an agreement with a large venue called Babylon in Marmaris.

The only handicap is if it rains…

But rain doesn't seem likely on race days.

OCTOBER 28, MONDAY

On the first race day, when the boats head out to the course, the entire Marmaris harbor comes alive with color.p>

The wind is sufficient for racing.

Besides the 104 boats that will race on the course, there are others as well.

Large ships have been waiting for this day, it seems.

2 ships are moored at the dock, 1 is anchored.

There is also a military vessel that came for the October 29th celebrations.

COURSE IS FULL, CHARTERS GO OUTSIDE

The race committee determines the routes taking all parameters into consideration.

First, they announce Route 6 from the MIYC routes with a Kargataşı Island turning mark for the Charter groups.

For the IRC classes, ROUTE 1 from the MIYC routes is announced, where the racing boats will not spread out too much.

As the wind blows from 255 degrees at 10-12 knots, the Charter classes cross the first starting line of the 35th Marmaris Race Week.

This class will have a single race on the first day and will run a distance of 12 nm as the crow flies.

FODEPAR AND PROTEST DAY

Then the IRC classes will make 3 starts with five-minute intervals between each.

The race committee is distinguishing and warning the foredeck crews individually amidst all this intensity.

After the IRC classes complete their race very quickly, they are conducting the day's second race on the same course with winds blowing from the same direction at the same intensity.

This year, the boats are providing much more colorful views, especially when they hoist their spinnakers.

In appearance, the Charter classes are not falling behind the IRCs, and at times even overtaking them.

When the races are completed, the protest committee has many issues to resolve and finalize.

The reason for their abundance is that the race technical committee conducts inspections on the boats and compares them with what was declared.

In the evening, the day's race prize ceremony takes place. The colorful scenes at sea give way to the award ceremony.

OCTOBER 29, TUESDAY

Today is our Republic Day. Red and white flags with crescents and stars everywhere.

The celebrations are reflected on the race course as always.

The committee starts the day with an announcement emphasizing the significance and importance of the day.

There's excitement in the air, but the wind is equally stubborn. It's resisting, refusing to blow.

The race committee is trying to determine the courses by taking measurements from different positions.

When the wind settles at 5-10 knots from 140-160 degrees, operations begin.

The IRC classes, which were expected to race outside today, will race inside with a single race due to light winds.

The race committee announces Course 4 D from the MIYC courses as the day's route.

The IRC classes complete their first starts with 3 starts at 5-minute intervals.

Followed by the Charter groups.

The wind neither increases nor decreases much but allows the race to proceed smoothly.

In the middle of the slowly flowing race, the committee extends the race time limit by 1 hour.

On the course today there is only a warship, and its boats are carrying visitors.

MARMARIS HARBOR MASTER'S BOAT

Meanwhile, the Marmaris Harbor Master's vessel conducts inspections across all areas, and this continues seamlessly throughout all race days.

After the race, there are plenty of protests again, followed by the evening awards ceremony.

OCTOBER 30 WEDNESDAY

Today, a coastal course will be sailed. The entire fleet arrives at the starting line in the outer harbor well before the start time.

The wind is being coy. The committee immediately tries to determine the course and get the fleet racing.

Every year, coastal courses pose challenges in these races. Let's see what happens this time.

Sometimes the committee catches the location where the wind is effective, and sometimes...

This time, the course is announced as a 35 nm round trip to Kızılada.

The IRC first classes collectively cross the starting line early with wind from 230 degrees at 5-7 knots strength, so the start is being rerun.p>

Then the other groups.

When it's time for the Full Charter classes, the wind starts playing tricks but doesn't prevent the start.

Now the fleet is on the course, the umpires' job is done. From here on, it's up to the racers to figure it out.

The breathless, feeble winds carry the dispersing fleet first to Kadırga Point.

When the IRC leaders reach this position, the Charter classes appear stuck on the start line from afar.

Good luck to all.

PERFECT WIND BETWEEN KADIRGA-KIZIL ADA

The wind settled between Kadırga Point and Kızıl Ada carries the boats swiftly to the island.

After rounding the island, the deployed spinnakers carry the fleet to the finish line with increasing wind.

Of course, within the increasingly dispersed fleet, close competitors have formed small groups.

The boats look spectacular as the sun sets.

On this course, when reaching Kadırga Point, especially in the evening, the wind either picks up or dies down.

This time it's the latter.

The boat running at high speed drops as soon as it rounds the point.

While the Race Committee, longing for its fleet, waits at the entrance of İçmeler, the sails are touching the water.

NO WIND, BOATS TOO CLOSE TO SHORE

Some boats have drifted into positions too close to the shore, in dangerous situations. If the wind doesn't come, things will get bad.

In the area up to the entrance of İçmeler, there is barely any wind to speak of.

Like the saying goes "patience brings reward," much later the wind finally graces these areas too, carrying the fleet to the finish line.

When all finishes are recorded, the time shows 23:30.

OCTOBER 31, THURSDAY

Again, a day left over from summer.

Wind from 130 degrees, barely there.

And finally, when it settles at 6-7 knots, starting procedures begin.

IRC classes will race Route 6 with Miyc courses.

The race starting in Marmaris inner harbor will be completed with a turn around Kargataşı Island in the outer harbor.

The charter classes will race Route 4 A from the Miyc routes inside the harbor.

The IRC classes are struggling in the strait while exiting to the outer harbor, but when they reach the mouth of İçmeler, the wind carries them towards Kargatası Island.

There isn't a strong wind. It continues as it started.

All classes complete the day's races and meet at the evening awards ceremony.

NOVEMBER 1, FRIDAY

When we went out to the course, the ants were drinking water.

All boats are anchored in place, swaying. A few opened sails are dragging on deck.

The weather is warm, the water is mild, and as the wind stubbornly refuses to come, classic race week scenes begin.

Swimsuits are ready, the sea is waiting for them. Time is passing.p>

The committee constantly measures wind from all positions of the course. Discussions are heard over the radio.

Until 13:05, there is no wind. As the teams get out of the water, the wind comes to the course, saying "You've waited this long, that's enough."

The race committee is most pleased about this.

Indeed, we've come all the way to the final day, it can't just not happen.

When the wind reaches racing level from 210 degrees, Route 4 D is announced from the MIYC Routes.

Sufficient wind provides excellent racing for all classes.

We witness crowding and contacts at the mark roundings.

Truly beautiful scenes unfold on the Marmaris course according to the prevailing wind.

After the race finishes, the protest hearings that continued throughout the week continue on the final day as well.

Since the measurement protest continues until late hours, the results are announced afterwards.

With so many protests, we want to ask an expert and learn the real story.

İLKER BAYINDIR

(Protest Committee Member)

"33 protests were filed in this year's races. 22 of these were protests filed by the Race Technical Committee.

The reason being the underreporting of the number of crew members racing on the boat in the declaration.

By doing this, they primarily avoid paying the per-person registration fees they should be paying.

More importantly, from a safety perspective; it is necessary to know how many people are on that boat.

If something happens to the boat, this information needs to be known.

Boats that did this were penalized.

The first penalty was a time penalty and they fell behind their competitors in the rankings.

Other protests were boat-to-boat protests.

In a different protest, there was a measurement protest between 2 boats. We had to implement a procedure that required hauling the boat ashore.

Weight and sail area measurements were taken."

When the races ended, one of the happiest people was Chief Umpire Ezgi Kalaycı.

EZGİ KALAYCI

(Chief Umpire)

We completed all the races we planned.p>

This week the winds gave us a bit of trouble.

The weather forecasts were generally inaccurate.

Since we know the region, we didn't experience any difficulties.

The race committee worked in perfect harmony and accomplished their task.

I believe everyone is happy with the races that have been held.

The chief architect of the organization, MIYC President Zafer Öznur, was among those who were happy. He explained the changes made.

ZAFER ÖZNUR

(MIYC PRESIDENT)

"When planning the 35th Marmaris Race Week, we worked on reducing costs.

In previous years, our biggest expense was the tent set up at Netsel Marina.

All social events were held here.

The costs for stage, screen, sound system, artists and food were very high.

This inevitably reflected on the participants.

While continuing our organization work, we found the newly opened Babylon Bar in Marmaris. The venue was spacious and comfortable.

We decided it was a place that could accommodate all participants.

With the ceremonies at the Bar, participants were able to eat at different venues after racing and were in the town center. After dinner, they came to the prize-giving ceremony.

With this application, both the racers were happy and we were relieved.

First conversations, then awards, and finally dancing made everyone happy.

They experienced unforgettable days and nights filled with activities at every moment.

On the sea side, we also completed the 6 races we had planned. This made us and the participants happy. Because in the end, everyone comes here primarily to race.

Standard moderate weather prevailed during the race week. Although sometimes arriving late, winds between 6-12 knots prevailed. In the offshore race, the wind that started low occasionally reached up to 30 knots on the returns from Kızılada. Everything that should be experienced in a race was experienced.

One issue that distinguished this year from previous years was boat berthing.

Netsel Marina, which had been providing free berthing on race days until now, stated that berthing could now be done with a discount. We also requested Muğla Metropolitan Municipality for free berthing of boats at Marmaris quay. A positive response came back in a very short time and about 35 boats berthed here. A different safe area was also opened for yachtsmen.

Having the racing boats in the town center like this, alongside the public, was excellent. When they were only at the marina, they were disconnected from the town.

This way, integration with the town was achieved.

On the first day of the race, there were 2 vessels moored at the harbor and 1 vessel anchored offshore.

Having the passengers of these vessels be part of the race was also excellent.

I believe the photos they took have been seen in different countries.

We are striving to do our best for our town and our country, but we need more support.

If we can receive this support, we can all set sail together towards much greater goals."

At the closing party held at Babylon Bar in the evening, the trophies found their owners, and the countdown to the 36th Marmaris Race Week had already begun.

At the end of Race Week;