Istanbul turned on the drama for the finale of the seventh Presidential International Yacht Races, with more than 650 sailors racing the Republic Cup down the Bosporus to close out the season during Türkiye's 103rd Republic Day celebrations.
The four-day Republic Cup ran from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, and it was no gentle procession. Crews started in front of Dolmabahçe Palace and fought rain, strong currents and the strait's notoriously tricky winds, all against a backdrop of palaces, ferries and skyline that few race courses anywhere can match.
ENKA took the overall season crown after contesting every stage of the championship aboard Cheese IV under skipper Levent Peynirci. Unilever Sailing Team, led by Engin Özgen, finished second in the overall ORC 0 standings, with TSK Spor Gücü-DHO Ariva, skippered by Murat Yavuzcan, in third. ENKA also won the Republic Cup itself in ORC 0, again ahead of Unilever, with Kafkas Kestane Şekeri Hero Sailing third.
The season wasn't just one regatta. Teams raced through the year at the Çanakkale and Coast Guard stages, the May 19 Liberation Cup, the Aug. 30 Victory Cup and the finale. Organizers have now laid out a busy 2027 calendar: the National Sovereignty Cup on April 23, the Atatürk and Youth and Sports Cup on May 19, a brand-new Conquest Cup on May 29, the Anafartalar Cup, the Neon Sailing Cup on Aug. 28, the Victory Cup and the Republic Cup on Oct. 29. A Cyprus Cup is also under consideration.
The Turkish Sailing Federation used the closing ceremony to highlight how far the sport has come, pointing to rising participation and international results — including a standout moment when three Turkish women swept first, second and third on the podium at a European championship.
For travellers, the appeal goes beyond the racing. The championship deliberately ties sailing to Türkiye's historic sites — Çanakkale and the Gallipoli peninsula in particular — so pairing a regatta with a cultural trip is very doable. Watching the Bosporus fill with sails from the Karaköy or Beşiktaş waterfront costs nothing, and the awards venue, Fişekhane, is a restored cartridge factory turned cultural hub in Gazhane, worth a stop in its own right. If you want to catch the next season, the Republic Day finale in late October offers the most spectacular city backdrop, while spring events let you combine racing with shoulder-season Istanbul at its calmest.
