Rowing
At the age of 14, I was recruited to the local rowing club in my village in Bosphorus. I dedicated myself to years of intensive training and became an elite athlete and a coach.
I never left my sport, visiting rowing clubs worldwide to participate in their training. I joined FISA World Masters Regattas in Sevilla, Spain (1997), Münich, Germany (1998), and Vienna, Austria (2009).
With the contribution of my former trainees, I started rowing clubs on the shores of Istanbul: first in Prince Islands (1994), then another on the Asian side (2003). Rowing will be a part of my life for as long as I live.
Portable Sculling Rig
After our circumnavigation in 2017, I discovered a portable sculling rig designed for inflatable SUPs. I started using it wherever we sailed with our boat Keyif.
Aluminium Skiff Design
In 2021, together with an older circumnavigator and experienced metal worker, Mr. Erkan Gürsoy, and with the help of my rowing friends, we designed and built an aluminium skiff. This skiff could be carried on our sailboat Keyif, allowing me to continue my sport in any harbor we sailed to.
Vaa Training in Martinique
In 2018, we had the chance to participate in ‘Vaa’ training in Martinique. I paddled hundreds of times in single, double, quadruple, and six-seaters in the clear and colorful waters of the Caribbean.
Running
Running was our secondary training in the rowing club, particularly when sea conditions were too bad. Over time, I grew to love the freedom and solitude of long-distance running. I have participated in marathons and countless half-marathons worldwide, running in places like French Polynesia, Fiji, Tonga, and Madagascar.
Hobiecat
In 1998 with three friends, I acquired a Hobie 17, the racehorse of the seas, and started learning to sail a sports catamaran. With my wife we sailed on this very fast and very athletic boat in the Marmara sea from the Prince Islands to Tuzla and Topkapi, sometimes catapulting, sometimes stalling with the dying wind, but always racing fast ferries along the way for many years. To this day, sailing the Hobie remains the most exhilirating adventures of my life at sea.
Swimming
I first swam across the Bosphorus at the age of 16. As part of rowing security training, I swam in all weather conditions, including harsh winters. Later, I participated twice in the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race with my wife and daughters. Swimming is a regular part of my training, though it is not my preferred sport.
Triathlon
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to stop running marathons and try triathlon instead. We participated in the sprint triathlon in Barcelona (2021) and later in Mallorca and Barcelona Olympic triathlons. The combination of swimming, biking, and running made the races enjoyable and varied.
Windsurfing
I fell in love with windsurfing in 1982 when the first boards arrived in Turkey. Although I never competed professionally, I still enjoy the sport whenever I have the chance.
SCUBA diving: Certified in 1994 in Maui, Hawaii, but only dive occasionally.
Skiing: A recreational skier for 30 years, I enjoy skiing with my family in Austria, France, Slovenia, Andorra and North America.
Wingfoil: Started on the north shore of beautiful Sardinia Island, and continued in the bays of Martinique. Still trying to master the technique, working hard, never giving up, enjoying to the fullest…