BODRUM, Türkiye — September 25, 2026 — The 2026 EurILCA Europa Cup Türkiye got underway in Bodrum on Thursday, bringing together 145 sailors from 13 countries for four days of racing across the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets. 

Photo – Gökay Peksev – TYF

Hosted by B.B. Bodrumspor, the Turkish round of the EurILCA Europa Cup runs from 24 to 27 September, forming part of the European circuit for the ILCA classes. The event is scheduled to feature up to eight races across the four-day programme. 

The opening day saw all three classes take to the water as the international fleet began competition in Bodrum. According to the Türkiye Sailing Federation, racing in ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 was completed on the first day, with the fleet returning to the race course for Day 2 on Friday. 

The size and composition of the fleet gives this year’s Bodrum round an international character. The entry list includes sailors from Belarus, Germany, Bulgaria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ukraine, Argentina, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Ireland, Switzerland and Canada, alongside the Turkish fleet. 

The ILCA 7 fleet has 29 entries, including 15 international sailors. Among them are athletes with Olympic experience, including Ecem Güzel, who represented Türkiye at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 in ILCA 6, and Yiğit Yalçın Çıtak, who competed in ILCA 7 at Paris 2024. 

Bodrum’s event is also significant beyond this week’s racing for the Turkish ILCA fleet. The results from the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes will form part of the ranking process used to determine Türkiye’s representatives for the 2027 World Sailing World Championships. 

The championship continues on Friday with the second day of racing, before the fleet returns to the water over the weekend for the final stages of the four-day event.

BODRUM — 24–27 SEPTEMBER 2026
ILCA 4 • ILCA 6 • ILCA 7
145 SAILORS • 13 COUNTRIES