WHEN WILL THE ROUTE OPEN, COMMANDER?

The racing activities that started in our seas in 2020 were continuing at full speed until very recently.

Yacht race programs were made by clubs long in advance, they were included in the Turkish Sailing Federation's calendar, and activities were ongoing.

Racing teams determined which club's or clubs' races they would participate in.

   

Personnel changes and reinforcements were made in teams.

Teams without boat owners found boats to race and made their agreements.

Sailing instructors and schools determined their teams.

Boats that were far from the race region were brought to and moored at the marinas of that region.

Equipment was refreshed. 

   

For travels to be made according to dates, if by air, tickets were purchased.

Participants planned their own work according to this calendar.

This year, fleets increased and accelerated in all racing circuits.

While races were being held, we who follow and report on the races were also making our plans and realizing them according to the calendars when...

What happened happened, everything, all races were cut off like a knife.

First we moved away from the seas, then gradually from the streets, confined to our homes.

None of us could understand, couldn't notice this sudden change.

Now we're participating in virtual races, chat meetings from our residences... Until when?

We asked this question to the Club officials.

With great sincerity and honesty, they answered our questions and provided clarification.

How they dealt with this shocking development, what they did, how they see the coming days, their plans and forecasts, if any.

The floor is theirs.

 

CAHİT ÜREN

TAYK (Türkiye Açıkdeniz Yarış Kulübü - Turkish Offshore Racing Club)

2020 is the 50th Anniversary of the Turkish Offshore Racing Club. 

For this purpose, we had prepared a social and cultural program for both our Club and Turkish Yachting. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic measures that suddenly emerged in a way we never expected, along with the Turkish Sailing Federation program, all Sailing

Clubs' 2020 programs came to a halt. 

   

As Turkish Offshore Racing Club (TAYK), we couldn't hold 4 races in our 2020 race calendar that we planned to start on April 04, 2020, as of April 27, 2020. 

The "Burgan Leasing İstanbul Cup" race scheduled for May 09-10 also looks like it won't be held. 

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As TAYK, assuming that our lives would gradually return to normal from mid-June 2020 onwards, we tried to create a draft program by scheduling races on the days allocated to our Club by TYF.

 

   

Taking into account the applications we received from our yachtsmen, we shared our thoughts on these drafts prepared in parallel with possible developments at a virtual meeting with yacht owners and crews on Saturday, April 25, 2020, and received the opinions of our racers.

On the other hand, we are also working on organizing our periodically scheduled sharing sessions such as information meetings and rules seminars open to all our racers in a virtual environment.

Meanwhile, Turkey's first virtual sailing trophy, the "TAYK/TEB Special Spring Trophy," organized with record participation of 164 boats in cooperation with e-Sailing Club, concluded today with the final races following the competition that began on March 23.

   

Among the 8 finalists who competed fiercely and gentlemanly, Onur Mandalinci (Onurmandalinci) finished first,

second was Kaan Mazlumca (HAVUC) and third Doğa Arıbaş (dogarbs) completed the race with rankings.

We hope that life will gradually return to normal from mid-May 2020. 

We will try to implement our 2020 program according to all changing conditions. 

For this reason, our work on all kinds of social, t

echnical and health programs for our racers continues in cooperation with the Turkish Sailing Federation regarding our races.

We have revised our program according to possible start dates and created several alternative programs. 

We have placed the races we could not hold and will not be able to hold onto our existing program. 

We planned to organize our 50th Year Naval Forces Cup race as a single-leg event in a port in the Northern Aegean due to current conditions. We have started to organize our social and cultural

events with our racers in virtual environment. 

   

When we start implementing our race program, we will take health precautions regarding our racers.  

“We are staying home, paying attention to hygiene rules, complying with social distancing rules.”

CEM TEKDAĞ

MIYC (Marmaris International Yacht Club)

As a result of the pandemic spreading and seriously affecting life, our club first informed all racers that the races were

postponed in line with the Sailing Federation's announcement. 

We told our club staff to work from home and not to come to the club unless it was very important. 

Our club management had already decided to comply with the "stay home stay healthy" motto at the very beginning of the Corona Virus. 

   

It is very difficult to make any predictions for the future at the moment.

I think that the more disciplined we approach the issue as a nation, the faster we will solve this problem. 

How long this solution will take, believe me, it is very difficult to predict. 

It is really difficult to completely eradicate a disease, a virus, for which a full vaccine has not yet been found.

   

It wouldn't be wrong to say that we have shelved changing race dates and what we can do about the races for now. 

In the coming days, in light of the decisions to be taken by TYF, we will immediately roll up our sleeves and start our work on the races. 

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Actually, how easily we can bring postponed races to life is another matter. 

All racers had arranged their schedules a year in advance according to the announced race dates. 

They had even arranged their leave from work accordingly. 

Flight tickets were purchased, whatever we think about the subject, it was done, it was ready, the matter was “clear”. 

Now this matter will come up again for everyone. 

   

Let's say we, as a club, announced new race dates, will racers be able to participate? 

Currently flights are a problem, will the announced dates be the right dates for everyone? 

What will the situations be at their workplaces? 

Which club's race will be their priority to participate in. 

Boats won't be able to form their crews very easily. 

I can already see there will be a host of problems. 

   

Hopefully everything will be fine. 

I want to think that way but my logic is elsewhere. 

AKİF SEZER

EAYK (Ege Açıkdeniz Yat Kulübü)

“Ege Açıkdeniz Yat Kulübü, which was founded in 2000, turned twenty  years old this year. 

We had meticulously prepared for our Winter Trophy in our 20th year. 

There were 51 boats that confirmed their participation and pre-registered. 

   

This was gratifying for us in terms of achieving our goal. 

48 of them gathered at IC Çeşme Marina a week before the first leg. 

Boat tracking systems were installed on all our boats, sponsored by Arvento and Raymarine. 

Our aim was to open the race for viewing from outside as well. 

Everyone was able to follow the first leg from their tablets and mobile phones.

   

For this purpose, we were going to rent a giant screen and mount it inside the marina, but this pandemic affected our country as well. 

All activities were suspended one day before the 3rd leg. 

Health comes first, of course, but the disruption of this momentum we had gained saddened us greatly. 

   

Looking forward, as a manager of our club and also as a physician, I don't think our winter trophy will be held. 

Because the pandemic can reduce its impact at the earliest by the end of May, or if we are pessimistic, around mid-July. 

Still, it may take longer for life to completely return to normal and be as it was before. 

The decisions made by the political authority and the Turkish Sailing Federation's implementations accordingly are essential, of course. 

   

Our forecast is; we can return to activities in August with certain strict measures. 

Pre-race registrations and meetings can be held online. 

The number of crew members on boats can be reduced. 

Award ceremonies may not be held, etc. 

In short, we wish peace and order for our homeland first, then health and well-being for our nation, and economic strength to everyone. 

After that, as athletes and clubs in the blue homeland, our eyes and ears are on our ministry and federation.” 

   

Let's see what the days will bring?

It wouldn't be a lie to say “Health First”, I suppose.

 

Visual contributors to our news:

To Osman UĞUR for TAYK Photographs

We thank Emre TAZEGÜL for EAYK Photographs.

MIYC Photos are from us.