We begin our report on the 4 day Bodrum Cup.

Saturday 14th October - Day 1

The Bodrum Cup is a wooden yacht sailing regatta which was held for the eighteenth time this year. Originally devised to re-awaken sailing skills amongst the owners and captains of Bodrum’s large charter fleet of wooden boats, it now also attracts foreign-owned Turkey-based boats, as well as the occasional boat from other countries, and has built up a reputation for hard sailing and relentless partying.

On the first day, Saturday, Bodrum is alive with street performers but Fethiye Times didn’t arrive until late afternoon so we missed that part of the event and start our reporting at the opening Cocktail Party held in Bodrum Marina.  This is where people who haven’t seen each other since the previous regatta all meet up again and the talk is of which boats are in the running for the prestigious Bodrum Cup – which is actually a pennant and we couldn’t find anyone who knew why!  Still we enjoyed the opening party immensely and stumbled back to our boat, Kaptan Şevket, to get a good night’s sleep prior to the first race on the Sunday. 

There were 76 boats racing this year and, with boats for sponsors’ guests, press and a hospital ship, the entire fleet was around a hundred.  Interestingly the hospital ship is partly staffed by Thames Valley Paramedics who fund raise all year so that two people can come out and take part in the regatta, plus contribute medical supplies.

Part 2 follows tomorrow.