The Fender of One Second

Arkas Holding, which has drawn attention with its emphasis on and contributions to sports, moved its races held on the Bodrum course to Çeşme under the name Arkas Aegean Link Regatta.

I left the boat in Marmaris and reached Çeşme by land to watch the event, which had been in preparation for a long time.

The calm weather in the Marmaris region greeted me with "Welcome" through the wild sea views when I entered the İzmir-Çeşme highway.

With the extension of the holiday break coinciding with the race days, serious crowds had begun on the roads. When I came out of the sea and hit the land, I managed to reach Çeşme with difficulty in this terrible traffic.

I generally cannot attend yacht races organized in the summer months due to the intensity of www.coastguidetr.com updates.

But since the race was planned in Çeşme, and knowing the participation numbers in the races held in partnership with EAYK-Çeşme Marina, I came to Çeşme out of curiosity. Let's see how it will be, how many boats will participate?

I was curious about the course, Chios Island, and the participation, to be honest.

At the opening cocktail held at Akşam Marina Yacht Club, hearing that 45 boats had registered and that we would be following a large organization of 400 people reassured and delighted those of us who would be following the race.

Arkas Holding Board of Directors Vice Chairman Bernard ARKAS, Sailing Federation President Özlem AKDURAK, EAYK Commodore Akif SEZER, Çeşme Marina General Manager Can AKALTAN and the civil authorities made warm speeches.

The wind participated in the warm evening with its whistle. Poseidon's whistle continued after the cocktail, through the masts until morning.

Yes, the meteorology was showing "Çeşme Strait Impassable" in its forecasts for the event days.

At the morning briefing, Chief Referee Hakan KÜTÜK was saying the same things. Wind and waves are very strong but safety first.

The anticipated race start time would unfortunately not be realized. The reason; Customs clearances were being done very meticulously. Therefore, the customs clearance of 50 boats including the committee boats was taking a long time.

Of course, by the time all these procedures were finished, Poseidon had found the course empty outside and was raging at full force.

When we left the marina, even the boats' passage to the starting position was taking time due to huge waves.

The wind blowing from 330 degrees was blowing in the range of 22-29 Knots.

The fact that the rough course was also deep did not give the Referees many options in determining the starting lines and turning buoys. Places where the anchor could be dropped...

The boats starting off Çeşme will first round the windward buoy to the north, then round Boğaz and Fener Islands and finish in front of Chios Island Harbor. Approximately 14 NM.

First start at 13:00 for IRC groups, second at 13:08 for Support classes.

We are following the race from Ethem YIKICI's catamaran named ORION.

In those conditions, the catamaran is struggling to let us follow the race without giving wash to the boats. As the 45 boats' dance in the Chios Strait is taking place, we are approaching the finish line with the first finishers.

There is no chance to hold on to the line due to the waves.

We are entering the harbor. The harbor has gone beyond being a harbor, literally boiling. We drop anchor with serious difficulties and get ashore from the stern.

The boats completing the race are mooring to the quay in the same manner.

Luckily, the anchors are holding well.

After customs procedures, we, the press group, take our place in a hotel overlooking the port, the strait, and Çeşme.

We have visual command of the sea traffic, weather conditions, and Coast Guard Boats.

Forecasts indicate that this weather will continue with increasing intensity.

At the end of the race;

In IRC 1, ARKAS FLYING BOX

In IRC 2, ARNES

In IRC 3, YUNUS MARIN-CYGNUS

In IRC 4, ÇEŞME SAILING LADY SUN

In IRC 5, KALKIŞ-FORATAN

In SUPPORT 1, DAKSAR-ACHILLES

In SUPPORT 2 (Grey), FUN LEMON

In SUPPORT 2 (Burgundy), PORTO NOVO

are the boats leaving their competitors behind.

In the evening, there is a welcome to Chios Island cocktail at the poolside of CHIOS CHANDRIS hotel. The night, enlivened with Greek and Turkish music, continues until late hours.

Day 2 of the event has been declared a free day, and rightly so.

We will explore the island.

We will tour with a bus assigned to us, accompanied by a guide knowledgeable about the island.

First we are moving westward and right near us is a small Airport. 25-40 passenger capacity twin-engine aircraft use this airfield. Flights to Thessaloniki and Athens.  

According to what we were told, the airfield is not being expanded for political reasons.

The Great Greek Shipowners from the island supposedly do not want this island to become too involved with tourism.

Their wish is for seamen to be trained. For this reason, they have even opened maritime schools.

Listening to these rumors, we find ourselves in AYA FOTINI, which is famous for its small pebble beach, charming houses and one or two hotels and restaurants.

Everything is the opposite of what we have in our country.

On the beach, loungers and umbrellas - whoever wants sits wherever they want and there is no waiter standing guard over them.

Those entering the sea, those eating, those gazing at the open seas...

From here we go to the Chios Museum through the mountains, among the mastic trees.

A very modern structure.

The Chios Culture Director and Museum director are giving us a tour.

Making incisions in the trees to extract the mastic product, whitewashing underneath them, everything is shown with photographs and films. 

From here we are going to a magnificent settlement; MESTA.

Narrow streets, adjoining historical houses still serve as residences for contemporary life.

We tour small squares, historical churches.

Truly a dreamland. There are even hotels inside.

When we ask why they lived so densely, adjoining each other when there were such vast lands available, our guide says: "Security concerns."

Then we go to another settlement. More recent but still adjoining. Facades with different motifs. We even see the house where CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS lived.

As it gets dark, we return to the hotel and immediately after to the famous LANGADA.

This is my first visit here by land.

Coming alongside the quay from the sea, where we had some food and relaxation at Langada, is no longer so easy now.

Police come immediately. Whichever restaurant you went to, the restaurant you didn't go to can report you.

After experiencing a cool evening in this magnificent, charming settlement, we head to the center through narrow and dark roads.

On the left side, the brilliantly lit Çeşme Coasts.

We need to be at customs very early in the morning, for exit procedures. There are customs both at entry and exit.

Those days of collecting and approving passports are over.

We have the state of emergency, they have refugee affairs.

What can we do, we go early in the morning and do our official procedures.

Afterwards, we will have breakfast and chat with Bernard ARKAS Bey.

In this meeting, we hear that ARKAS is not just a sponsor, but a pioneering organization that opens paths to sports, opens channels, and creates infrastructure. The subject is a beautiful example, therefore such an event should not have a small place in it.

I want to make a comprehensive news report about this in the future and share it with you.

The start procedure announcement we've been waiting for comes over the radios. 

As the wind that has been building since last night shows no signs of decreasing whatsoever, the Race Committee "cancels the race due to the wind being at a level that threatens racing safety.

Indeed, the harbor is literally seething.

Boats that were leaving the harbor to go to Çeşme struggled to depart from the quay.

The wind keeps blowing incessantly onto the boats.

We also set off with ORION and sail towards Çeşme. If we were to try going by motor anyway...

Once we get 2 miles from the island, the wind blowing over 35 knots inside drops to 20-25 knots, but the waves are rough.

All boats are entering Çeşme Marina.

In the evening, everyone meets at a party at Aquente Beach in Paşalimanı location, attended by all participants and guests.

The wind doesn't stop, it's still blowing and won't stop either.

The route is announced at the morning briefing;

Start off Çeşme, round the windward buoy 1 NM to the north, then round Kara Abdullah Point and the race will continue along Alaçatı shores.

Here, the Discharge buoy off Alaçatı will be rounded and finishes will be taken off BEFORE SUNSET.

Approximately a 20 NM race.

The boats are having difficulty even getting from Çeşme Marina to the start location, the waves are very large.

The wind is at a minimum of 26 knots. From time to time it rises to 35 knots and stays there.

The upwind leg after the start will be challenging in the race. Then generally downwind. The start order has changed.

The support classes start first.

Bernard ARKAS, racing on the Arkas Team, reaches his boat with an inflatable boat through the waves.

At the Support groups start given at 12:35, the start line remains empty for a long time and the boats begin racing with delay.

The line is already quite long.

Meanwhile, when the IRC classes start procedures begin, a boat from the Support Class is asking about the Support Classes' start time...

Then at 12:45, after the magnificent start of the IRC classes, the entire fleet is on the course and in the waves.

Truly beautiful scenes.

We are taking the wind from astern with the genoa and heading to the finish position.

Meanwhile, we are filming the dance of the boats catching up to us with spinnakers and waves after rounding the windward mark.

ARKAS FLYING BOX and ANYTHING-DERE CONSTRUCTION are in a serious battle. As they approach Kara Abdullah Cape, ANYTHING-DERE CONSTRUCTION is slowly passing ARKAS FLYING BOX.

The gap shouldn't open too much.

At Kara Abdullah Cape, those who cannot collect their spinnakers, those going in and out of the water, and the scenes created by motor yachts passing through the fleet while heading from south to north are magnificent.

When Kara Abdullah Point is rounded, the wind changes direction and hits the course with the same force. But there are no waves anymore.

One of the boats finishing at the BEFORE SUNSET mark after rounding the discharge buoy is ANYTHING-DERE CONSTRUCTION. ARKAS FLYING BOX is following it.

While approaching the finish line, ARKAS FLYING BOX, which has fallen below the buoy, is trying to finish with a TACK but a 2nd tack is also needed. It makes the 2nd one and the finish is recorded.

All curiosity is about the time difference between these two boats.

When we are picked up from the press boat and brought ashore, the news arrives that ANYTHING-DERE CONSTRUCTION has beaten ARKAS FLYING BOX by 1 second on corrected time and won the cup.

As the fleet boats complete the race and return to Çeşme Marina, the day's results become clear.

In IRC 1, ANYTHING-DERE CONSTRUCTION

In IRC 2, ARNES

In IRC 3, YUNUS MARİN-CYGNUS

In IRC 4, ÇEŞME SAILING LADY SUN

In IRC 5, KALKIŞ-FORATAN

In DESTEK 1, RAIN

In DESTEK 2(Gray), FUN LEMON

In DESTEK 2(Burgundy), ENKON

These are the boats that left their competitors behind.

In the evening, the awards find their owners at the closing ceremony held at BEFORE SUNSET facilities.

The owner of the Grand Cup, ANYTHING-DERE CONSTRUCTION, receives the award from the hands of Arkas Holding Board Chairman Lucien ARKAS.

Yes, at the end of this organization that requires courage, determination, work and effort, all participants leave the ceremony area in happiness, while dreams and plans for next year take their place in minds.

Thank you ARKAS,

Thank you EAYK and

Thank you ÇEŞME MARINA.

You succeeded, congratulations.