The 38th edition of The Bodrum Cup will take place from October 19-24, 2026. Across a five-stage route starting in Bodrum and passing through Knidos and Ortakent to reach Yalıkavak, boats competing in various categories will vie for both class rankings and the grand trophy.
Beyond the competition on the water, the race week will feature events in Bodrum that bring together art, sports, history, and culture. The Race Center, to be set up in Bodrum Center from October 19-24, will serve as a meeting point where races can be followed, activities for adults and youth are held, and art exhibitions take place. The center will be open to all visitors throughout the week.
Main sponsor OPET; platinum sponsors Anadolu Sigorta, Four Seasons Hotels Istanbul, Ruins Luxury Resort, SumOne and Yalıkavak Marina; silver sponsors Arvento, Bakar Insurance Brokerage Services, Blueway, Era Outdoor, and Eskiceshme Hotel are contributing to the 38th The Bodrum Cup. The Bodrum Ship 25th Anniversary Renovation Project is supported by the IMEAK Chamber of Shipping, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Bodrum Municipality, Ağanlar, Anadolu Sigorta, International, Victron Energy, Aqua Yachting, EMA Endüstri, Duratek, Alphamare, Marina Deniz Araçları, Velenamast, Erkab Kablo, IBC Yachting, Artı, Admiral Marine Equipment, AK-YA Denizcilik ve Su Ürünleri, Data, Tekno Marin, Levent Yılankaya Denizcilik ve Arıtma Sistemleri, Gemtac, Yılmaz Metal, Düzgit, and İnter Orman Ürünleri.
The route for the 38th The Bodrum Cup will take racers from Bodrum to Knidos, and then on to Ortakent and Yalıkavak. The stages are as follows:
•Tuesday, October 20:Bodrum-Bodrum - SumOne Stage
•Wednesday, October 21:Bodrum-Knidos - Ruins Stage
•Thursday, October 22:Knidos-Ortakent - Yalıkavak Marina Stage
•Friday, October 23:Ortakent-Yalıkavak - OPET Stage
•Saturday, October 24:Yalıkavak-Yalıkavak - Anadolu Sigorta Stage
The Bodrum Ship, our country's only sailing school ship, is scheduled to compete in The Bodrum Cup again this year in its renewed form following comprehensive maintenance and renovation work. Naval architect Aslı Felah is serving as the project manager for the maintenance and repair process. Born from within The Bodrum Cup, the ship is one of the most important projects of the Bodrum and Caria Region Culture, Art and Promotion Foundation (BOSAV).
Comprehensive maintenance and renovation work, supported primarily by the IMEAK Chamber of Shipping and Ağanlar Shipyard, is currently underway at Ağanlar Shipyard to establish a sustainable structure that will keep the 25-year-old ship at sea for many years to come and to develop its new functions.
In the 38th year of The Bodrum Cup, Knidos has been included in the route for the first time in a long while. After the bell ceremony to be held at the Race Center in Bodrum Municipality Square on October 19, the start will be given for the first stage of the 38th year. Preparing for his 10th year as president this year, The Bodrum Cup Organizing Committee President and BOSAV President Süleyman Uysal We are preparing for the 38th year of The Bodrum Cup, which also marks my tenth year as the head of the organizing committee. Having run uninterrupted for thirty-eight years, The Bodrum Cup is now an organization that a wide audience knows, follows, and wants to be a part of. The transformation over the last decade is the result of the hard work of the team and everyone who believes in this structure. Over the years, we have become a powerful voice telling the story of Bodrum's maritime culture, contributing to the city's promotion and tourism. With this responsibility, we carefully select our routes every year. This year, both the boats competing in various categories and the Bodrum Ship, which was born from within The Bodrum Cup, will be in the spotlight. We are excited to reunite with this community in October.
The Bodrum Cup Founder and Honorary President Erman Aras: When we founded The Bodrum Cup, it wasn't easy to imagine that this journey would last for 38 years, bringing Bodrum's boats and maritime culture to a wider community every year. Today, racers, boat owners, craftsmen, volunteers, and supporters are all part of the same organization. The fact that The Bodrum Cup continues to grow shows how much Bodrum has embraced this race. The Bodrum School Ship is also one of the most important projects born from within The Bodrum Cup. It is very precious to all of us that the ship, built with the contributions of the people of Bodrum, is back among us in its renovated form.
Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and Union of Coastal Municipalities President Ahmet Aras: The 38-year journey of The Bodrum Cup is one of the strongest indicators of the deep-rooted relationship Bodrum has established with the sea. This city possesses a powerful culture of building its own boats, learning from the sea, and multiplying knowledge by sharing it. For this reason, I find it highly meaningful that the Bodrum Ship is at the center of the organization this year. A school ship teaches young people not only how to sail but also how to take responsibility, act together, and respect the power of nature. As the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, we contributed to the comprehensive maintenance and renovation work of the Bodrum Ship; its return to the seas means that Bodrum's maritime heritage is transforming into a living educational space. I wish for The Bodrum Cup to continue its path by growing as a gathering that makes maritime labor visible, supports our city's productive power, and raises awareness for protecting our seas.
Bodrum Mayor Tamer Mandalinci: Maritime has always held a very important place in Bodrum's identity. For 38 years, The Bodrum Cup has been a highly valuable organization that keeps this culture alive, promotes Bodrum's values nationally and internationally, and brings people from different generations together in the same blue waters. The Bodrum Ship, born from this organization, is not just a school ship; it is an important asset that carries Bodrum's maritime heritage into the future, holding great significance for our youth to recognize this culture and connect with this legacy. As the Bodrum Municipality, we value efforts that strengthen our city's bond with the sea, protect our cultural values, and contribute to the international promotion of Bodrum. With this understanding, we will continue to support The Bodrum Cup and the Bodrum Ship project. We will continue to work with all our stakeholders to ensure that Bodrum's maritime tradition is kept alive and that the labor and expertise in this field are passed on to future generations.
İMEAK Chamber of Shipping, Bodrum Branch President Orhan Dinç: Keeping maritime culture alive, carrying the wooden yacht tradition into the future, and bringing young sailors together with the sea, The Bodrum Cup is once again bringing the maritime world together in its 38th year. As the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping and the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping Bodrum Branch, we continue our support with our belief in the organization's values; we contribute to the training of future sailors through our sponsorship of the Bodrum Ship, which takes part in the races every year. We believe that the development of the maritime sector is possible not only through economic and commercial activities but also by protecting maritime culture, introducing young people to the sea, and cultivating qualified human resources. In this direction, we view our support for the organization as an investment in the future of maritime. The Bodrum Ship is a space for education and experience for the sailors of the future. Our sponsorship of the Bodrum Ship, which participates in the races every year as part of The Bodrum Cup, is an important part of this approach. This support will always continue to develop in cooperation with Piri Reis University.
İMEAK Chamber of Shipping Bodrum Branch Vice Chairman of the Board Mahir Top: There are some races that are not just held for first place. They teach a person about the sea, teach patience, and remind one of the value of acting together. For me, The Bodrum Cup has been exactly that kind of journey for years. I have been at sea, in the race, for thirty-five of the thirty-eight years this story has been going on. As a boat builder, my perspective on the sea has always been a bit different. For me, a boat is not just a vehicle moving on the water. It is the coming together of labor, craftsmanship, the right choice of materials, and knowledge acquired over years. Especially in wooden boats, every detail has a meaning, and every part has a story. For thirty-five years, The Bodrum Cup has been exactly that kind of story for me: a story written together by wood, the sea, and generations. I am extremely happy with this support we provide to the Bodrum Ship, both on my own behalf and on behalf of our chamber.
Ağanlar Shipyard & Marina CEO and Bodrum Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board Erdem Ağan: The Bodrum Cup has been a highly valuable organization for 38 years, going beyond being just a sailing race by keeping Bodrum's deep-rooted maritime culture, craftsmanship, and traditions alive. Protecting this legacy and passing it on to future generations is our shared responsibility. We are very proud to be the main supporter of the comprehensive maintenance and renovation process of the Bodrum Ship, Turkey's first sailing school ship, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and is currently at Ağanlar Shipyard. Because the return of the Bodrum Ship to the seas is not just about renovating a ship, but about carrying Bodrum's maritime memory into the future. I find it extremely valuable that The Bodrum Cup continues to keep these values alive, and I thank everyone who contributed to this organization, which makes a great contribution to the promotion of Bodrum on national and international platforms.
OPET Sustainability and Corporate Communications Leader Gül Altan Yeltik, As OPET, we see protecting our country's values, supporting the unifying power of sports, and being part of efforts that provide lasting benefits to society as an important part of our corporate responsibility. As the main sponsor of the 38th edition of The Bodrum Cup, we are proud to have shared in this great excitement for eight years. While keeping our maritime culture alive with its 38-year deep-rooted history, The Bodrum Cup carries Bodrum's unique natural and cultural riches to the international arena. This organization, which brings together sea enthusiasts from different generations on the same route, offers a powerful example of solidarity, perseverance, team spirit, and acting in harmony with nature. As OPET, with our focus on sustainability and social benefit, we care about these values reaching wider audiences and being passed on to future generations. The fact that our eight-year partnership grows stronger every year is a reflection of our belief in sports and our country's future. I believe that The Bodrum Cup will host new success stories, and I thank everyone who contributed to this valuable organization and wish all competitors success.
Anadolu Sigorta Head of Corporate Communications, Sustainability, and Disaster Management Berna Semiz Ergüntan: The Bodrum Cup is a very special organization that has been keeping Bodrum's maritime tradition alive for years, bringing together sports and solidarity. As Anadolu Sigorta, we have been accompanying this journey since 2018. We find it very valuable that sea enthusiasts from different generations come together every year and that Bodrum's cultural values and maritime heritage are kept alive. Moreover, we participate in this organization not only as a supporter but also in the races with our Sailing Team, which consists of our colleagues. For us, what makes The Bodrum Cup special is this sense of togetherness. As Anadolu Sigorta, we believe in the power of sports to bring people together, and we are happy to be a part of this deep-rooted organization that carries Bodrum's nature and maritime culture into the future.
Four Seasons Hotels Istanbul General Manager Thomas Krooswijk: As Four Seasons Hotels Istanbul, we are very happy to be part of this valuable journey in the 38th year of The Bodrum Cup, which proudly represents Bodrum's deep-rooted maritime heritage, traditional boat craftsmanship, and unique nature on the international stage. The bond we have established with this meaningful organization, which centers on values focused on sustainability, preserving local culture, and social benefit, is extremely precious to us. We wish all the sailors participating in the race an exciting and successful race week with the wind at their backs.
Cactus Hotels Group Board Member Nurçe Erben Hakan: “For 38 years, The Bodrum Cup has been much more than just a sailing race; it is a highly valued organization that represents Bodrum’s maritime culture, deep-rooted history, and strong identity in tourism on an international scale. Bodrum’s success in tourism should be evaluated not only by its natural beauty but also by the projects that preserve its cultural heritage and pass it on to future generations. The Bodrum Ship, which forms the theme of this year’s event, is one of the finest examples of this vision. We are delighted to be a part of this excitement once again in the 38th year of The Bodrum Cup, which contributes to the preservation of our maritime traditions and the international promotion of Bodrum.
Burak Karaarslan, General Manager of Taypa: SumOne, the next-generation apparel brand developed under the Tay Group,Oneaccompanies The Bodrum Cup with a collection specifically designed for its spirit, which embraces the sea, movement, and freedom. Developed with the variable conditions of sailing in mind, these lightweight, windproof pieces that allow for freedom of movement were designed for both athletes and spectators sharing the excitement of The Bodrum Cup from the shore. The proceeds from the sale of the collection will be donated to the Bodrum and Caria Region Culture, Art and Promotion Foundation (BOSAV) to contribute to the expenses of the Bodrum, the first school sailing ship of the Republican era. In this way, through the collection it has designed for the sea, SumOne will also support the preservation of Bodrum’s maritime heritage for future generations.
Umut Özkan, CEO of Yalıkavak Marina: “The Bodrum Cup is a deep-rooted organization that keeps Bodrum’s maritime culture alive and brings different generations together around a passion for sailing. As Yalıkavak Marina, we are happy to support this gathering in its 38th year. With the international awards we have won and the global brands we have brought to Bodrum, we strengthen our city’s international recognition and contribute to attracting superyachts and visitors from all over the world to Bodrum. Our support for The Bodrum Cup, which protects and promotes our city’s maritime culture to the world, is a part of this approach. This year’s ‘Bodrum Ship’ theme emphasizes our shared responsibility to protect our maritime heritage and pass it on to future generations. We thank everyone who has contributed to the culture of solidarity and unity that the organization has built over the years, and we wish all participants a successful and enjoyable race week.”
For the registration calendar, participation requirements, and the detailed program, www.bodrumcup.com you can visit the website.
Main sponsor OPET; platinum sponsors Anadolu Sigorta, Four Seasons Hotels Istanbul, Ruins Luxury Resort, SumOne and Yalıkavak Marina; silver sponsors Arvento, Bakar Sigorta Aracılık Hizmetleri, Blueway, Era Outdoor, and Eskiceshme Hotel are contributing to the 38th The Bodrum Cup.
The Bodrum Ship 25th Anniversary Renovation Project is supported by the IMEAK Chamber of Shipping, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Bodrum Municipality, Ağanlar, Anadolu Sigorta, International, Victron Energy, Aqua Yachting, EMA Endüstri, Duratek, Alphamare, Marina Deniz Araçları, Velenamast, Erkab Kablo, IBC Yachting, Artı, Admiral Marine Equipment, AK-YA Denizcilik ve Su Ürünleri, Data, Tekno Marin, Levent Yılankaya Denizcilik ve Arıtma Sistemleri, Gemtac, Yılmaz Metal, Düzgit, and İnter Orman Ürünleri.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, the Muğla Governorship, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, Muğla Metropolitan Municipality MUTTAŞ, Bodrum Municipality, Bodrum Belediye AŞ, Bodrum District Governorship, Milas District Governorship, Milas Municipality, Coast Guard, Bodrum Maritime Rescue, Bodrum Chamber of Commerce, IMEAK Chamber of Shipping, Bodrum Hoteliers Association, Bodrum Seafarers Association, Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, Era Bodrum Sailing Club, TYBA Yachting, and the Turkish Sailing Federation are contributing to the organization as official supporters.
The Bodrum Cup social media accounts
• Instagram: @bodrumcup
• Facebook: facebook.com/BodrumCup
• X: @bodrumcup
Contact person
Dilek Özcan
The Bodrum Cup Communications Committee
dilek.ozcan@bodrumcup.com
0533 374 88 08
Launched in 1988 by the Era Bodrum Sailing Club, The Bodrum Cup is an international maritime festival that brings sailors and sailing enthusiasts together in Bodrum every year. The organization highlights Bodrum's traditional boat building and maritime culture while also creating space for social responsibility initiatives. www.bodrumcup.com