Half of Marmaris Winter Trophy Lost in the Wake

We are in Marmaris for the 3rd Leg of the 13th Winter Trophy, which will take place on March 5-6, organized by Marmaris International Yacht Club.

A calm but cloud-covered Marmaris welcomes us on Friday, March 4.

IS SPRING COMING?

Marmaris is ready to welcome spring. Spring is just a step away now. 

During these transitions, this coastal area gets worn out and exhausted.

Sudden rains can turn into floods. 

The sun showing its face, surging winds.

They are all in Marmaris' meteorology box.

It's uncertain who will come out of the box and when.

Precautions on land, and at sea as well. 

We will experience all of these during our two race days.

28 BOATS REGISTERED

When registrations for the 3rd Leg closed in the evening, the screens show 28 participating boats.

In Winter Trophies, this number increases by 3, decreases by 2 depending on the legs. 

There is always participation of foreign nationals in Marmaris races.

The reflections of developments in the region are on the way to affecting these participations as well.

Although some of the foreigners participating in this trophy live in Marmaris.

That risk exists for those who come and go.

THEY PAID ALL REGISTRATION FEES WITHOUT BLOCKING CREDIT CARDS

However, the credit cards are from Russian banks. Due to possible blocks that could be placed on those cards, these teams have already paid the participation fees in advance for this and upcoming legs.

There is an opening cocktail in the evening. Rain has gradually arrived in the area.

It's doing trials. Giving a preview.

March 5, Saturday

We're heading to the briefing in the morning under overcast, uncertain weather.

Chief Umpire Can Giray starts the briefing humorously with a special custom-made whistle.

The participants' happiness is visible on their faces. They're following attentively.

Our eyes also spot Cem Hakko from the Vakkorama team and Ahmet Eker from the Eker Team among the participants. 

They stay with their teams during the race, never leaving their side for a minute at the events.

They experience the race thoroughly through all its stages.

What a beautiful sport, one thinks. 

Without showing off matching team outfits, fame, glory, or money, they reveal their love of the sea and sporting spirit. 

Of course, this is for the modest ones who want to live it wholeheartedly this way.

After Giray reminds everyone of the general rules, he announces that they have planned a total of 3 races—1 geographical and 2 buoy races—and that the wind and rain will not abandon the fleet.

Finally, he warns about covering the different trophy stickers on the sides of the boats.

That's right, there are real ones, fake ones, genuine ones, authentic ones. Let them not get mixed up with each other.

What times we've come to, God.

RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN SOLIDARITY ON THE PRESS BOAT

As the press boat takes its course, we notice an increase in the number of people filming.

Russian cameramen and photographers have joined the Ukrainian photographers.

They work shoulder to shoulder, side by side, and chat.

What's happening far away has not affected them in this beautiful geography, at this sporting event.

The rain has started. It's clear it will be more intense. The clouds have completely covered the tops of the mountains surrounding the bay.

WE FOUND THE WIND, NOW IF WE COULD SETTLE ITS DIRECTION

The wind is very shifty. Its strength is good but its direction keeps changing.

Generally blowing from 120 degrees when the committee announces the first race of the day.

Course is MIYC Routes 4A.

The variable wind causes the committee to postpone as we approach the start.

A new course is being set. The buoys are in position.

MIYC Routes 3 B will be raced.

Leaving Keçi Island to port, rounding off İçmeler.

A risky course in terms of wind.

On this course, some locations may not sacrifice their calmness even if hell breaks loose.

Different wind at each location.

What more could you want for a race.

Let's see the tactics then.

At 12:55, IRC-0-1-2 groups,

At 13:00, IRC-3-4 groups are starting.

The wind, which was at 10 knots during the initial start moments, is at 18 knots when the fleet reaches the windward mark.

After a while, the wind at this location begins to decrease and increase, but the fleet has already started running single jibe towards İçmeler.

We exit the bay and wait for the fleet at Keçi Island Lighthouse location.

The leaders are approaching the lighthouse with tramontanas from the İçmeler side.

IRC-0 boats are racing inseparably like siblings next to each other.

But what will the ratings say about this tie in the end?

We are advancing towards Keçi Island from offshore.

WHAT'S THAT? THE FLEET HAS HIDDEN!

Indeed, the fleet has literally hidden behind Keçi Island, stuck.

Calm.

No wind. If they could advance a bit, they would be saved.

Coast Guard never leaves them alone. 

Full support, as always.

Those who escape from this area are advancing. Those rounding the lighthouse are heading to the correct finish.

When entering the inner harbor, there are not many opening spinnakers.

Clouds have descended, rain has intensified. Only occasional spinnakers.

Those who see are bursting their spinnakers as if saying "let's open," but finishes are being taken now.

While finishes of those who made the first start are being taken, the finish time for group 2 is being extended.

Rankings in IRC-0-1-2 groups completing the day's first race;

For the day's second race, the committee announces route 4 A from the MIYC Routes.

Wind is fluctuating between 10-20 knots from 120 degrees, but the direction remains the same. 

At 14:29, the starts of IRC-0-1-2 groups take place.

After the first group's start, the second group's finishes are being completed.

Subsequently, when IRC-3-4 complete their finishes:

The lack of rain is not felt at all.

Visibility occasionally decreases significantly.

The start procedures for this group are beginning and their starts are being given.

There is an announcement from a boat on channel 71.

“An early start was given.”

FALSE START RETURNS WITH GENERAL RECALL

Indeed, instead of giving one minute to the start, start start start.

At the end of this announcement, the committee makes a general recall without taking a breath and the start is refreshed at 15.12.

This group starts racing on the same course with wind and rain.

Wind is between 10-14 knots.

A 10-minute finish time extension is given to the slowing group.

The committee was generous to the second group today.

At the end of the second race of the day;

2ND LEG AWARDS AND DÖNER PARTY

In the evening, rain strong enough to pierce the forks outside, döner spinning for guests inside and dozens of racers.

Conversation groups are chatting centered around the day's results announced on the board.

Meanwhile, the Chief Umpire, ending his troubled day happily, is relieving stress by slicing döner.

One wonders; what if the döner master tried to relieve stress by managing races...

The awards find their owners, the night grows longer and longer.

Race visuals, beautiful music, dancers, those accompanying the tracks.

March 6, Sunday

We've been thinking about today for days. All meteorology sites predicted that the wind would be unstable and almost non-existent.

They're all turning out to be correct.

By the time we get to the marina, the rain that fell during the night is decreasing. But there is no wind.

The committee boat is going out to search for wind. The entire fleet is waiting at Netsel Marina pontoons.

Waiting ashore.

Some are exercising, some are chatting.

Eyes on the flags, ears on VHF 71.

The awaited call comes around 13:30 and the fleet is on the course.

Wind from 180 degrees, 3-6 knots. But not exceeding 6 knots.

In the sailing instructions for today; last start time is 14:30.

Start line is set. Course is MIYC Course 1A.

Before 14:00, IRC-0-1-2 starts are given. 5 minutes later, IRC-3-4 will be given.

While the first group continues the race they started with a run, slowing down, the second group is at the start line.

POSEIDON SHUT OFF THE IGNITION, CAPTAIN

2 minutes before the start of IRC-3-4, there is no wind, it has evaporated.

Postponement flag.

IRC-0-1-2 boats are stuck side by side ahead.

Time passes, the wind says; "That's all from me".

The committee boat going to retrieve the start mark becomes the first sign of abandonment and after this time there is no race.

Fleet to the marina.

Boats that cannot race under sail on the course start a race to get to the marina first by motor, to dock early, but unfortunately this is not subject to a recordable result

not a movement.

It was beautiful, beautiful..

With rain, wind, sun, and clouds, we left another month in our wake.

Course; to the MIYC Winter Trophy 4th Leg races to be held on April 2-3.

FROM THE COMMITTEE BOAT

CAN GİRAY

"We completed the 3rd Leg of the Winter Trophy organized by Marmaris International Yacht Club.

We had planned 3 races for Saturday and Sunday.

We completed two of them on Saturday.

On Sunday, due to lack of wind, despite all our attempts, we could not find suitable weather for racing.

When the time for the final warning signal came, we closed this leg with two races.

This is Marmaris, a geography full of surprises.

The wind appearing from Yalancı Strait and coming from the direction of Marmaris Castle or turning towards İçmeler is something expected at any moment.

For this reason, the referee colleagues working here need to constantly have their hands on the course, and their eyes following the signs and developments ahead with binoculars.

They need to.

We love Marmaris and racing here very much.

Especially the nightmare-filled days we experienced in the last two years due to the pandemic, in fact in 2020, let alone going out to sea, we were making virtual trophies from our computers

.

Meanwhile, we also had losses. We are very sorry for them. 

After all these developments, being at sea, racing is delightful.”

Overall Results Table After 3rd Leg;