# Tyf Sailing League

Ayvalık hosts the sailing race

Balikesir's Ayvalık district now hosts the TYF Sailing League 2nd Leg Optimist Races organized by the Sailing Federation, following the ILCA 1st Leg Races and the National Team selections held in November. Before the competitions, hundreds of athletes participated in the cortege march and opening ceremony that started in front of Ayvalık Setur Marina, and it was learned that the races would continue until Sunday, April 30. Ayvalık District Governor Hasan Yaman, Ayvalık Mayor Mesut Ergin, Turkish Sailing Federation President Özlem Akdurak and department heads, athletes, coaches and a large crowd of citizens attended the march that ended in Cumhuriyet Square, after that, the opening ceremony continued with a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Turkish Sailing Federation President Özlem Akdurak said that she was pleased to meet hundreds of athletes within the federation in the wonderful geography of Ayvalık and said, “I am sure that all our young athletes here today are in great joy. As a result of this nice hospitality, it seems that we will be in Ayvalık often. For those of you who may not know, I would like to say that many of our valuable trainers, whom we have entrusted to raise our children as successful athletes of tomorrow, have been trained in Ayvalık. Therefore, Ayvalık is actually the cradle of sailing. Ayvalık is on its way to returning to its successful days in this field. As you know, at the end of our races that started today, we will choose our athletes who will wear the crescent-star jersey in 2023. I believe that Ayvalık will choose the athletes we will send to the national team in the best way." After the speeches, Nurhayat Güven, who returned to Turkey as champion from the 2023 Techno 293 European Championship held in Garda, Italy, also representing the crescent-star flag in the same championship, Toprak Doğan, Eşref Jale, Orhan Emre Kandemir and Mert Toygar were given their awards by District Governor Yaman, Mayor Ergin and Federation President Akdurak.