Bosphorus Cup at Istanbul, Turkey - Practice Race

Bosphorus Cup practice race © Pedro Martinez / www.MartinezStudio.es

If there were one place in the world and one regatta where "stadium sailing" takes another dimension that would, undoubtedly, be Istanbul and the Bosphorus Cup. Not only does Turkey's biggest city provide the perfect backdrop and provide the best spectating spots possible, the event is certainly the only one whose race area straddles two continents, Europe and Asia.

What started in 2002 as a one-day event inside the Bosphorus has now become the premier sailing event of the eastern Mediterranean with two days of windward/leeward races off the city's southern suburbs and the iconic long race inside one of the world's busiest shipping passages, cut off during four hours for the race.

Part of the 80-strong fleet took part in Thursday's practice race, held under beautiful late-afternoon conditions. Despite the late start, scheduled at 5pm, the fleet enjoyed a nice northerly breeze between Fenerbahçe and the island of Kinali. Racing in earnest kicks off on Friday at 12pm local time, with two windward/leeward races in schedule.