The race is a great tourist attraction, as they pass by the great monuments of Istanbul. Photo: Kurt Arrigo

As the stanza of the poem 'Song of the Pirate' of the great Spanish literary of the first half of the 19th century says, José de Espronceda: "Asia on one side, on the other Europe, and there on its front Istanbul". This could well be the definition of the Turkcell Platinum Bosphorus Cup, an exceptional race. With a centre in Istanbul, one third of its competition program runs through the Bosforo, a strategic portion of sea that separates Europe from Asia, and that for 360 days a year is dedicated exclusively to commercial traffic. The 15th edition was held last weekend, with the victory of the Turkish Farr 55 Orient Express VI.

The concept of the Turkcell Platinum Bosphorus Cup is simple: two days of competition between buoys in the Sea of Marmara (halfway between the Aegean and the Black Sea), separated by the Bosforo Regata, a 21-mile coast that for a few hours freezes the dense commercial traffic of the Strait of Istanbul, and which acts as an indisputable icon of the sailing competition in Turkey.

Created 15 years ago, the event has been growing in importance and is today a sailing party in an area of the planet that does not stand out precisely for its commitment to the races. Last weekend it was held its 2016 edition, with participation of about 60 ships and great public success. The absence of wind was not enough to show a show that brought together the 58 participating ships literally at the foot of the historic area of Istanbul, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

A unique occasion

The Bosforo only closes its way to commercial traffic five times each year, and for just a few hours. About 55,000 ships cross each year the strategic point that separates the European area of Istanbul from the Asian area, placing it in the world's "top three" by sea traffic intensity. Such a background gives an idea of how exclusive it is to be able to regatta in its waters, a unique opportunity that the Bosphorus Regatta offers every year since 2002, the main ingredient in the Turkcell Platinum Bosphorus Cup's competition program. "As a child I used to sail in the Bosphorus, although no one seemed interested", explains the Turkish ocean regatist Orhan Gorbon, creator of the event. "When I started to compete internationally, I soon convinced myself that the Bosphorus could be an attractive place to host sailing races."

"Istanbul offers a great setting for regatists, spectators and the press thanks to its strategic location, its rich history and monumental buildings such as the Basilica of Santa Sofía, the Blue Mosque or the Topkapi Palace," continues Gorbon. "The water is deep just to the same wall, and the races are easy to see from the ground". Not in vain, during the Bosphorus Regatta, the ships will fly a few meters from a crowd that is counted for thousands.

FINAL CLASSIFICATION TURKCELL PLATINUM BOSPHORUS CUP 2016

Position / Ship / Armor / Model / R1 / R2 / Total

1. Orient Express VI / Büent Atabay / Farr 55 / 1.0 / 2.0 /3.0

2. Renault-Farr Away, Team Özonur, Farr 40 / 3.0 / 1.0 /4.0

3. Farfara, Erhan Uzun, Farr 40 / 2.0 / 3.0 /5.0

The full classification is available at;

http: / / www.bosphoruscup.org / en / results.php

Text: Jaume Soler / Marina Kienitz
Blog: www.jaumesoler.net
Twitter: @ SolerAlberti