The Fenerbahçe Doğuş Sailing Team has made waves by shattering the Türkiye tour record, embarking on a remarkable journey from Artvin Hopa to Hatay's Iskenderun district powered solely by wind in a staggering 10 days, 2 hours and 47 minutes.
Following this extraordinary achievement, the athletes – Ateş Çınar, Doğukan Kandemir, Evren Koncagül and Barış Koncagül – gathered in Kalamış to discuss their record-breaking feat and their aspirations for the future.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), the athletes expressed their desire for their record-breaking accomplishment to serve as inspiration for others.
Ateş Çınar, highlighting the team's goal to complete the journey in 10 days, underscored the significance of surpassing the previous record by an impressive 34 hours.
Recounting their exhilarating voyage, Çınar remarked: "Traveling around our country with the power of wind as four childhood friends was an incredible experience. With the unwavering support of Fenerbahçe Doğuş, we achieved what no sports club has attempted before. We dreamed of this moment as club athletes, and to see it come to fruition fills us with immense pride and joy."
Emphasizing Fenerbahçe's commitment to excellence across all sporting disciplines, Çınar attributed their success to the club's unwavering support and the partnership with Doğuş Group.
He praised the collaborative effort that enabled them to push the boundaries and break records.
Looking ahead to the Olympics, Çınar expressed confidence in their readiness to compete at the highest level. With the sailing events set to take place in Marseille during the Paris Olympics, Çınar, a veteran Olympian, shared his optimism for Fenerbahçe's prospects, noting the club's impressive track record in Olympic sports.
Echoing Çınar's sentiments, Evren Koncagül reflected on the challenges encountered during their journey, particularly navigating through the stormy waters off the west coast of Lesbos Island.
Despite the adversity, Koncagül praised the unwavering support they received, highlighting the crucial role it played in their success.
For Doğukan Kandemir, the journey tested their resilience, especially when faced with turbulent weather conditions after Bozcaada. Despite the challenges, Kandemir lauded the camaraderie among the team members, emphasizing their mutual respect and teamwork as the cornerstone of their achievement.
Looking to the future, the team is exploring avenues to expand their horizons and set new benchmarks.
Barış Koncagül stressed the importance of increasing record attempts and fostering healthy competition within the sailing community.
He expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support received from Fenerbahçe, Doğuş Group and the broader community, emphasizing the need to nurture the next generation of sailors.
