Under the slogan “Catch the Wind”, the 13th TAYK-Eker Olympos Regatta Sailing Festival has begun in Istanbul. The event is organized in collaboration with the Turkish Offshore Racing Club (TAYK), the Turkish Sailing Federation, and Eker Dairy Products, starting off the coast of Kalamış.
Ahead of the races, Eker Dairy Products General Manager Ahmet Eker, TAYK General Manager Can Giray, and Eker Efsane Team skipper Nevra Eker spoke to Anadolu Agency about the event.
Highlighting last year’s success, Ahmet Eker said:
“We are organizing one of the largest sailing events in Türkiye, covering all sailing classes. We will begin with the J70 races and expect three days of fun and competitive events. From Monday, youth and children’s races will take place, with 300–400 athletes participating. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will host the J70 Match Race, followed by yacht races on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The yacht races will conclude with the Istanbul Strait Race on Sunday.”
Eker emphasized their preparations, adding:
“We aim to organize the largest sailing event in Türkiye. Our main goal is to promote sailing, introduce it to newcomers, and make it a spectator sport. Sailing isn’t widely watched, but we will have three days of live broadcasts during the festival. Türkiye is surrounded by seas on three sides, yet we don’t have enough sailors. We want to increase the number of athletes, boost interest in sailing, and, in the long run, train competitors who can succeed internationally. As Eker, we strongly support sailing and will continue to do so.”
TAYK General Manager Can Giray noted the unique format of the event:
“It’s a ten-day, all-encompassing activity — something Türkiye isn’t used to. There is huge interest in the races. The Istanbul Strait is the jewel of Türkiye, and we will crown the festival with the Istanbul Strait Yacht Race. We’ll be on the water for ten days, and hopefully, the wind will be in our favor.”
Nevra Eker, who has been racing in the J70 class for around four years, spoke about her ambitions:
“One of my main goals from the start was to form a women’s team, and we are getting closer to that. In the last 3–5 years, sailing has grown rapidly both in Türkiye and worldwide. We want to encourage more women to participate in the sport. As women, we also want to make our presence felt here. The team I formed symbolizes that goal.”
The festival will be held across five categories — J70, J70 Match Race, IOM (International One Metre), Dinghy, and Yacht Classes — and will run until August 17.
Source: Anadolu Ajansı/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök