Sailors from 11 countries compete in 23rd Bosphorus Cup

ISTANBUL

The 23rd Bosphorus Cup, one of the world’s premier sailing events that transformed Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait into a dynamic theater of sails, took place from Sept. 19 to 22.

The competition saw the participation of over 1,000 sailors from 11 countries, including Bulgaria, Switzerland, the UAE, Russia and the United Kingdom.

The event, where participants raced in front of iconic landmarks such as the Çırağan Palace, Ortaköy Square, and the Kanlıca district, kicked off on Sept. 19 with training sessions at Kalamış, followed by intense races at the Kalamış-Adalar route.

However, the Bosphorus Race on Sept. 21 featured over 100 sailboats navigating the iconic waters of the strait.

The theme for this year’s Bosphorus Cup, “Theater of Winds,” captured the essence of the event as the sailboats, propelled by the strait’s natural winds, created a mesmerizing spectacle.

In addition to its thrilling races, the Bosphorus Cup also launched a new cultural initiative, the Bosphorus Cup Art + Architecture Platform. This creative project aims to merge the beauty of the Bosphorus with architectural aesthetics.

The inaugural installation featured a performance by the RemDans Project Group and a design team led by Başak Özdoğan, who created unique costumes representing winds that dominate Istanbul, such as Poyraz (northwesterly winds) and Lodos (southwesterly winds).

Reflecting on the event’s cultural and environmental impact, Orhan Gorbon, founder of the Bosphorus Cup, said: “The Bosphorus Cup is Türkiye’s brand. It is a sustainable event that does not pollute the Bosphorus with fully wind-powered boats."

The organization shut down the Bosphorus traffic for five hours to allow sailboats full control of the waters and gave spectators the opportunity to view the race from key points such as Ortaköy Square, Arnavutköy, Aşiyan and Göksu.

As the event reaches its finale on Sept. 22, all eyes are on the final race off Caddebostan, after which this year’s champion will be crowned.