Team Aspat was founded just one month ago and competed for the first time in the J/70 Turkish Regatta 5th leg Bodrum races held on 10-12 November. Despite this, proved to be a new but ambitious team by placing 3rd in Corinthian category. The team consists of 6 people, the youngest being 15 (Deniz Saraç) and the oldest being 62 (Mehmet Okay).
The team member Hakan Saraç tells: «In fact, we can say that it is a team of fathers and sons: It consists of Mehmet Okay (Ant Yapı member of board) and his son Ahmet, Hakan Saraç (Ant Yapı architectural office manager ) and his son Deniz; together with former Olympic national sailing athlete Ali Kemal Tüfekçi and Andreas Rangavis as tacticians».
Although Team Aspat has been newly established, team members have been interested in sailing on different platforms for a long time. Ali Kemal Tüfekçi is a former Olympic national sailing athlete who represented Turkey in the Laser and Finn classes in the 2000 and 2008 Olympics; similarly, Andreas Rangavis is one of our former national athletes who has been sailing since 1990. Deniz Saraç, the youngest member of the team, has been actively sailing since the age of 8 and now licensed laser athlete of the Istanbul Sailing Club. Ahmet Okay was interested in optimist and laser at Fenerbahçe Sailing Club in his early years. Hakan Saraç is an amateur sailor who started sailing with his son because of his passion for sailing with him. Team skipper Mehmet Okay has been involved with the sea and sailing throughout his life, and has been interested in different sailing branches as an amateur sailor. Team members from different disciplines, passion for the sea and sailing, and an amateur spirit create a synergy in Team Aspat.
In fact, as Team Aspat, we are both guest participant but also host in these races.
Hakan Saraç explains: «Our team takes its name from the bay where the races will be held and the famous Aspat Hill there. Kaptan Mehmet Okay is a board member of Ant Yapı, which built and manage the Anthaven project; Hakan Saraç is also the architectural office manager of Ant Yapı. For this reason, we have had the chance to sail with different sailboats (pico laser, dart 16 catamaran, Rs Feva, J/70…) in this area for several years. We also participated in the J70 Turkish Regatta 5th leg Bodrum races held here on 10-12 November. Aspat and its surroundings are generally always windy, there is almost always a place to sail. The dominant winds are north and west, meaning they generally blow from the land, so the waves are relatively low. However, if the southwest wind blows, it also creates waves. When it blows from the land, sudden wind changes can be seen in the parts close to the land, especially in the parts close to the hills. It is necessary to be careful for the small rocks at the entrance of the bay when setting up racing routes. We wish all participating teams as competitive, enjoyable, entertaining and successful regatta. We hope that good memories will be made in Anthaven, in this cozzy port ideal for sailing, where all the teams will look forward to the next race».
The team member Hakan Saraç tells: «In fact, we can say that it is a team of fathers and sons: It consists of Mehmet Okay (Ant Yapı member of board) and his son Ahmet, Hakan Saraç (Ant Yapı architectural office manager ) and his son Deniz; together with former Olympic national sailing athlete Ali Kemal Tüfekçi and Andreas Rangavis as tacticians».
Although Team Aspat has been newly established, team members have been interested in sailing on different platforms for a long time. Ali Kemal Tüfekçi is a former Olympic national sailing athlete who represented Turkey in the Laser and Finn classes in the 2000 and 2008 Olympics; similarly, Andreas Rangavis is one of our former national athletes who has been sailing since 1990. Deniz Saraç, the youngest member of the team, has been actively sailing since the age of 8 and now licensed laser athlete of the Istanbul Sailing Club. Ahmet Okay was interested in optimist and laser at Fenerbahçe Sailing Club in his early years. Hakan Saraç is an amateur sailor who started sailing with his son because of his passion for sailing with him. Team skipper Mehmet Okay has been involved with the sea and sailing throughout his life, and has been interested in different sailing branches as an amateur sailor. Team members from different disciplines, passion for the sea and sailing, and an amateur spirit create a synergy in Team Aspat.
In fact, as Team Aspat, we are both guest participant but also host in these races.
Hakan Saraç explains: «Our team takes its name from the bay where the races will be held and the famous Aspat Hill there. Kaptan Mehmet Okay is a board member of Ant Yapı, which built and manage the Anthaven project; Hakan Saraç is also the architectural office manager of Ant Yapı. For this reason, we have had the chance to sail with different sailboats (pico laser, dart 16 catamaran, Rs Feva, J/70…) in this area for several years. We also participated in the J70 Turkish Regatta 5th leg Bodrum races held here on 10-12 November. Aspat and its surroundings are generally always windy, there is almost always a place to sail. The dominant winds are north and west, meaning they generally blow from the land, so the waves are relatively low. However, if the southwest wind blows, it also creates waves. When it blows from the land, sudden wind changes can be seen in the parts close to the land, especially in the parts close to the hills. It is necessary to be careful for the small rocks at the entrance of the bay when setting up racing routes. We wish all participating teams as competitive, enjoyable, entertaining and successful regatta. We hope that good memories will be made in Anthaven, in this cozzy port ideal for sailing, where all the teams will look forward to the next race».