During the press conference of the 7th Arkas Aegean Link Regatta, Bernard Arkas, Vice President of Arkas Holding, shared the sailing philosophy of Arkas. In his speech, he highlighted, “We are a company intricately intertwined with the sea, offering employment opportunities within the maritime sector. One of our objectives is to materialize enduring and steadfast initiatives with the aim of advancing the practice of sailing within our nation and fostering increased maritime activity in our country that has suitable geographical conditions. Our journey commenced with the establishment of a professional and corporate team. In 2017, we took over Arkas Cesme Sailing Sports Club from Çeşme Yelken İhtisas Kulübü. Since that time, our predominant investments have been channeled into the training of budding athletes and the facilitation of enhanced training regimens for athletes already in our fold. We trained and transferred 12 athletes to our national team. We have athletes who have become champions in European and World Championships; thus, we are not only providing a hobby, but we are working toward our aim to achieve sporting success. We aim to raise exceptional athletes from Izmir who will compete in the European and World Championships. Since last year, training programs have also begun in Izmir Marina, in addition to Cesme. In summer and winter, we train 70 children in Cesme and Izmir. During summer, this number increases to 300-350. For athletes to love a sport, there must be competition and goals. For this reason, we set goals that they would like to achieve and organize races. Cesme’s wind is one of the top sailing courses in the world, and I believe that brand events that benefit sports and tourism should be increased and supported. That is why I place significant emphasis on the sustainability of this race and its contributions.”
A Sustainable Race: Arkas Aegean Link Regatta
Arkas emphasized their collaboration with the Turkish Sailing Federation and EAYK Cesme Marina as part of the Arkas Aegean Link Regatta. Emphasizing their achievement in hosting more than 300 boats and over 3,000 athletes, he noted, “Our main goal has always been to have a sustainable and globally recognized race. Last year, though, we observed that international teams were also interested in the event. Among the 38 boats, there was 1 Bulgarian and 1 Russian boat. This year there are three boats. We have extended the event this year. There will be racing and excitement for 6 days.”
J70- Arkas’ Four Musketeers
Arkas stated that they have added a new class to Arkas Aegean Link Regatta this year, and said, “We also just purchased four J70 model boats for use in training and racing by universities and affiliated groups in Izmir. By introducing the J70 class, we have improved our trainings, which began with Optimist and proceeded with ILCA, formerly known as laser. This will provide sailing enthusiasts of all ages with the thrill of competition while also making it easier for them to train and join teams. Our goal is to develop a team for the J70 league. On the other hand, Arkas MAT Sailing Team will train racers to make the team sustainable.
J70 boats stand out for their ease of use because they are utilized by athletes who are older and still developing physically and who must switch to higher level boats after outgrowing optimist and ILCA boats. We were inspired by the characters Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and d’Artagnan from the novel The Three Musketeers by world-renowned author Alexander Dumas. Artificial intelligence tools were used in their design. The designs were executed by the Air Brush artist Evrim Duyar, with whom we have collaborated on our prior boats. With these four J70 boats, Arkas Cesme Sailing Club persists in providing sailing instruction for individuals of all age groups, spanning both the summer and winter seasons. With these types of boats, which are suited for more people to sail, we also contribute to the development of sailing.”
Yacht Racing Has a League Now
Following the MDK “Cabotage” Cup, the 52nd Naval Forces Cup, the Coast Guard Cup, and the Halicarnassus 100th Year Cup, the Arkas Aegean Link Regatta will be the fifth and final leg of the Turkish Yacht League, which will be staged for the first time this year by the Turkish Sailing Federation. The league, which was formed to raise interest in the world of sailing and extend this sport to a wider range, had 45 teams and over 450 athletes this year. As a commercially verifiable success, the development of a league will eventually lead to the institutionalization of sailing teams, the training of professional athletes, and the ability to acquire sponsors more easily, thus giving more power to the teams.
Arkas MAT Sailing Team will Race in Saint Tropez and Rolex Cup
Arkas moved on with his speech and said, “Participation and competition in international organizations motivates all teams. Owing to the pandemic, we had suspended our participation in international races. However, the past year saw the completion of our new boat project, affording us the opportunity to ready the boat for forthcoming overseas competitions. We hope to achieve international success in September and October with Blue Moon, a yacht designed and brought to life entirely in Türkiye by a Turkish team, in a Turkish shipyard, and by Turkish artists. I want Arkas M.A.T. Sailing Team to be a team to be feared in Europe. Only then can we get their attention and make foreigners think that the races here are worth the competition.” He added: “Les Voiles Saint Tropez in France and the Malta Middle Sea Race Rolex Cup are ahead of us. Around 600 boats in various classes compete in the Les Voiles St Tropez race in France from September 24 to October 8, 2023; there are classics, modern yachts, and sports boats. St Tropez race is, indeed, a very crowded race. Alongside us, another Turkish team will compete in the Middle Sea Race Rolex Cup in Malta from October 22 to 29. The race is described as the toughest race in the Mediterranean, draws a large number of competitors, and is the toughest race in the Mediterranean in the offshore category. Previously, in 2015, we won the Rolex Malta Middle Sea Race IRC3. We hope to bring home trophies from both races.”