A series of sporting events were organized across Turkey to celebrate the country’s 98th Republic Day on Friday.
Some 95 ships and over 800 participants competed for the Cumhuriyet Cup during the Istanbul stage of the 2nd Presidential International Yacht Races.
The race started near Dolmabahçe Palace, in the Beşiktaş district of the city, in the morning. From there the course took the sailors north to Ortaköy, then moved south to Galataport Gate and changed course north to Beykoz before finally heading south towards the finish at the Ataköy marina on the European side.
The Istanbul Open Sea Yacht Race Club, under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency and in coordination with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Tourism and Sports, is organizing the event.
In Adana, in south-eastern Turkey, a long-distance race on the historic Varda Bridge was organized to mark the day.
The Republic Run was jointly organized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Governorate of Karaisalı and the Municipality of Karaisalı.
Over 100 athletes joined the 12-kilometer race that started at the century-old Varda Bridge, which was built in 1912.
Çukurova Üniversitesi (ÇÜ) organized a canoe race at the Seyhan Dam in Adana. About fifty participants joined the event which organized races in eight different categories.
Elsewhere, 400 athletes took part in a cycling event in Bolu, western Turkey, on the eve of Republic Day.
