Bosphorus Cup 25th Edition

Date: 16 September 2026 – 19 September 2026

Location: Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul, Turkey

Organizer: Santa Clara Yachting Club (listed as international event)

The Bosphorus Cup is Istanbul's flagship sailing event and one of the few races anywhere that sends a fleet between two continents. First held in 2002 and run every year since, it reaches its 25th edition in 2026, with racing scheduled for September 17-19 on courses at Caddebostan, around Buyukada in the Marmara, and through the Bosphorus Strait itself. The strait race is the signature act: commercial traffic is paused while hundreds of boats run the channel under the suspension bridges, with the city stacked up on both shores. Over a quarter century the event has hosted more than 1,200 boats and upwards of 10,000 sailors, drawing entries from across Turkey and abroad, from club cruisers to grand prix crews. Anniversary celebrations for the 25th year began with a special event in June ahead of the September races. As a spectacle it has few rivals in the sailing calendar.

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