Gentleman's Course Concludes Successfully

With Ergo's Main Sponsorship, we are in Marmaris for the 6th and final leg of the Winter Trophy organized by MIYC.

On May 13-14, when the final leg will be held, despite being spring, it's no different from the hottest days of summer season. The warming throughout Turkey is quite evident in Marmaris. 35 degrees temperature dominates the region and naturally the race course.

Marmaris has opened its tourism season, businesses have actively started their operations. We witness crowded scenes both within the town and in the bays.

Under these conditions, we head out to the race course on the morning of May 13 for the first race of the final leg. There's no situation of waiting for wind. There is wind but it will blow enough to race. Don't expect it to be strong today. That's what the meteorology shows.

The participation, which has been over 30 boats since the beginning of the Trophy, has dropped to 22 boats. After 5 legs, the rankings in some groups are almost certain. Due to the start of tourism season, as professional participants focus their concentration on their businesses, the number of boats has decreased considerably.

As we always say, winter trophies should probably not be extended into May.

The race committee, fast and successful in setting up the course, has already finished everything and is waiting for the boats. Once all boats reach the committee boat at the scheduled time, the announcements begin.

One race will be sailed each day. Today's single race route is MIYC route 1-A. Accordingly; the boats starting inside the bay will round the windward mark at 135 degrees to starboard, round mark number 2 to port and exit the bay. Here they will first round mark number 3, then round Karga Taşı Island to starboard and finish off Marmaris. All groups will race on a course approximately 15 nautical miles long.

With the wind blowing at 6-8 knots, the start is given for IRC 1 and IRC 2 groups at 12:05, IRC 3 and IRC 4 groups at 12:10, and the Support group at 12:15. Meanwhile, there is one boat racing in the Support Group.

After the starts, the wind increases its strength a bit. When the windward mark is rounded and spinnakers are hoisted, not many breakdowns are seen except for a few boats. However, when mark number 2 is rounded and course is set upwind through the strait, breakdowns begin.

The wind hasn't fully settled. It varies according to locations. This condition is visible to the eye over the sea.

Meanwhile, news of an incredible accident at Marmaris Sakar Ramp appears on internet pages.

Boats struggling to get out to open sea round buoy number 3 and head toward Karga Taşı Island when the wind almost stops and the sea becomes flat calm. Spinnakers collapse but this time the fleet starts racing with winds freshening from the west. The expected squalls begin to heel some boats off Turunç and İçmeler.

Meanwhile, day-tour boats filling the bays are navigating through the racing boats, going from this bay to that bay. Believe me, we on the press boat are disturbed by the sound coming from their music systems. Who knows what the people inside do. Especially those who want to vacation peacefully in the bays where they anchor all summer long, those who live there. We look sadly at Amos Bay, one of our country's most beautiful bays. Our sympathies to those living there. All day long, high-volume music overlapping one another and barbeal scents...

Coast Guard teams are conducting patrols in the bays by boat, we are witnessing it. But isn't there a limit to this noise, won't there be any intervention? The issue is always the same!

Returning to the race. The racing yachts watching the tour boats are entering the inner harbor with the increasing wind and virtually completing their finishes one by one.

At the end of the race;

In IRC 1, GOBLIN 3-CANGRUP SIGORTA (Aslan Kaan İş),

In IRC 2, HAYTA (Zafer ÖZNUR),

In IRC 3, BOOMERANG-UK SAIL(Serdar ŞAHİN),

In IRC 4, BLUE BIRD 2-ERGO (Mehmet ÖZDAŞ)

Become the boats that leave their competitors behind in their classes.

May 14, Sunday, Mother's Day. For this reason, Chief Race Officer Can GIRAY, in his speech on behalf of the committee to all boats that went out to the course for the race, congratulates all women and mothers on Mother's Day and wishes the participants success in the final race of the trophy.

Today the wind has already started to blow strongly from the beginning. The wind, which generally doesn't leave the racers alone on the Marmaris course, has allowed racing to some extent no matter what until today. All planned races were completed in the trophy where we did not encounter very harsh weather.

Today preparations began while the wind was blowing from 260 degrees at 12-14 knots. The route for the day's single race; 4-CEMAL from MIYC routes. A course consisting of 1 triangle to take place inside the bay, followed by 2 sausage routes. The start line was set off Yalancı Boğaz. The race will be sailed by rounding the Orsa Buoy in front of Mares Hotel and the buoys in front of Marmaris Castle to starboard.

A course of approximately 13 nautical miles. The start order is the same as yesterday's race. At 12.05 the IRC 1 and IRC 2 groups, at 12.10 the IRC 3 and IRC 4 groups, at 12.15 the Support group start is given.

There is no forfeit except for the ALLEGRO boat. It refreshes its start and participates in the race. The boats that made an upwind start in strong wind find the wind gradually dropping as they reach the upwind mark. In fact, the leading LEMON, GOBLİN 3-CANGRUP SİGORTA and GÖKOVA get stuck around the mark with their deflated spinnakers. Meanwhile, as the boats behind approach the mark, the wind refreshes its strength and enables the boats to run with spinnakers to the turning mark in front of the Castle.

This drop in wind does not occur again and the race continues. While the competition in the groups continues in familiar patterns with close rivals, as the boats complete their mark roundings and approach the finish line, the wind strength rises to 20 knots in effective squalls.

Poseidon offers an insatiable battle opportunity to the racers at the Marmaris Course during the finishes.

At the end of the race;

In IRC 1, GOBLİN 3-CANGRUP SİGORTA (Aslan Kaan İş),

In IRC 2, HAYTA (Zafer ÖZNUR),

In IRC 3, BOOMERANG-UK SAIL(Serdar ŞAHİN),

In IRC 4, MIRABELLA(Nadide ÇAKICI)

Are the boats that leave their competitors behind in their classes.

In the evening, at the awards ceremony held at MIYC facilities, first the 5th and 6th Leg awards and then the Trophy cups at the end of 6 Legs find their owners.

In ERGO-MIYC 2017 Winter Trophy;

In IRC 1, GOBLİN 3-CANGRUP SİGORTA (Aslan Kaan İş),

In IRC 2, HAYTA (Zafer ÖZNUR),

In IRC 3, BOOMERANG-UK SAIL(Serdar ŞAHİN),

In IRC 4, BLUE BIRD 2-ERGO (Mehmet ÖZDAŞ)

are the boats that earned the right to receive 1st Place Trophies in their classes.

Leaving behind a winter trophy that passed accident-free, in joy, and in a gentlemanly manner, the participants end the evening awaiting news of new races and different organizations.