18th Bodrum Cup - Day 5

Wednesday 18th October

After Tuesday’s storm we woke to sunshine and a flat sea.  Everyone assembled outside Bodrum harbour for the planned start at 10.30 on the final race west around the coast to D-Marin the marina at Turgutreis.  The race committee kept putting off the start, waiting for the wind to get up, and eventually Fethiye Times, along with people from other boats, jumped into the sea for a very refreshing swim as it was now quite hot sitting out there with no wind.  As the time ticked by we began to think we might actually get away with it and win the class but, at 2.30pm, the start countdown began and in the final 5 minutes before starting when all engines are turned off, Fethiye Times filmed the most dramatic moment of the whole regatta when the bow spit of a large boat hooked the canopy on the back of a much smaller boat and went on to smash the smaller boat’s mast.  A sickening crunch followed by a tangle of sail and rigging enveloping the smaller boat.  This incident didn’t stop the race and Kaptan Şevket acquitted herself well despite sailing into the wind, by coming third in the race and third overall in her class. 

{mosimage}At the Awards Ceremony held in the marina yacht club we were surprised to also be awarded the Turgutreis Belediye Cup (which is actually a statue) for sportsmanship. 

If you’d like to find out more about the Bodrum Cup take a look at www.bodrumcup.com and seriously think about joining the event in 2007