Perfect Wind Conditions Prevail in Marmaris Regatta

Sunday, April 26 morning Marmaris greets and continues with a sunny day. The long-lasting cold weather and precipitation were making their final act with heavy rainfall during the night from Saturday to Sunday. Along with the rain, mud rain fell on the region. Vehicles and boats got their share, everywhere was covered in a reddish earth color.

When we said "it will end with the wind", on the contrary, it was blowing without reducing its effect from the day before. When we went out on the course at 10:00 AM, coming from 130 degrees, as the start procedures began, it was making itself felt between 9-12 knots.

Chief Race Officer Can GİRAY announced that a single race would be sailed today and declared the course as a geographical route.

With the start in front of the castle, the boats will exit the harbor through the strait, round Yıldız Island, turn at the buoy deployed south of Yalancı Boğaz, re-enter the inner harbor, leave the turning buoy in front of the castle to starboard, round the inner buoy at Yalancı Boğaz location, and finish in front of the castle.

A mass start and the same route will be applied for all classes.

When the start procedures began, 24 racing boats and their crews were continuing their preparations on the course. With the Warning Flag raised on the mast, all competitors were putting on their life jackets.

With the start given at 11:00, all boats began racing the 17 nautical mile course as the crow flies. While passing through the strait and heading outside, boats that lost time with short tacks headed towards the turning buoy south of Yalancı Strait when the wind picked up to 20 knots in open waters. Meanwhile, the wind in the inner sea was also blowing between 14-16 knots.

When the fleet entering the inner sea first reached the turning buoy in front of the castle, the gaps between boats became clearly evident.

Racing in IRC-2, PALMARINA SAILING IZMIR YELKEN AKADEMISI and HAYTA were continuing their battle among the IRC-1 boats.

We were also seeing M2, racing in IRC-3, among the IRC-2 boats.

The duel between HAYTA, claiming right of way at the buoy rounding, and PALMARINA SAILING IZMIR YELKEN AKADEMISI was interesting.

Meanwhile, ISKORPIT was filing a protest against EXIT.

While problems with spinnaker retrieval caused time losses for some boats, the trophy's contender MATRAK 2 was completing the final rounding mark and approaching the finish line in front of the castle. Had they not made those last tacking errors while approaching, they would have opened up a considerable gap with their rivals. As boats following HAYTA 2 's route completed their finishes without losing ground, they didn't seem likely to close the gap much. At the end of Day 2, which started sunny and continued sunny, started windy and continued windy, the planned 3 races had been completed. 3.At the end of the race, MATRAK 2 in IRC-1, HAYTA in IRC-2, M2 in IRC-3 and KANKA in IRC-4 were the boats that left their rivals behind.




At the end of the completed 5th Leg, in the Overall standings, MATRAK 2 placed first, HAYTA second and M2 third, becoming the boats approaching the trophy finals.

The 6th Leg of the ERGO-MIYC Winter Trophy will be sailed on the Marmaris Course on 9-10 May and one more step will be taken towards the finals.

Here's to many more enjoyable, sporting, and gentlemanly races.