The independent sailing publication.
Rüzgar Üstü is an independent, non-profit publication that records the work being done in sailing in Türkiye and carries it to the international sailing community. Founded in 2026, it publishes in Turkish and English.
What is Rüzgar Üstü?
It writes about sailors, teams, clubs, sailing schools, races, brands and good practice, so that the work done in sailing does not disappear on social media but becomes an archive that can be consulted over time. The aim is to build an independent record of sailing in Türkiye that people can return to in the years ahead.
The second purpose of this record is international recognition. More sailors from Türkiye competing abroad, more foreign crews taking part in events in Türkiye, and Türkiye being recognised as a strong sailing destination are permanent parts of the editorial agenda.
We do not publish race results. Results become final on the organiser’s official source once protest and jury procedures are complete; we point readers there. We write the story around the result: how the race unfolded, how a team came together, why a brand is there, who did the work behind the scenes.
Where does the information come from?
Rüzgar Üstü’s source is the field. We draw on five channels.
Our own observation
Rana Akkurt, who founded and writes Rüzgar Üstü, is on the start line, inside the crews and on club grounds. How a race unfolded, what the wind did, what was said in the protest room: none of it is reported second-hand.
The network in the field
Race officials, club managers, sailors and people from brand communication teams pass on what they have seen and what they know. The information becomes a story after passing through the editorial filter.
Interviews and first-hand experience
A sailor in their first race, a foreign crew competing in Türkiye, a manager who has kept a club going on their own means for years: stories are told by the people who lived them, through interviews and as far as possible in their own words. These stories are the backbone of the publication.
Official sources
Notices of race and sailing instructions, announcements from organising clubs and event organisers, the Turkish Sailing Federation’s calendar and records, class associations and World Sailing documents. Dates, classes, boats and sailor details are verified against these sources.
International media and good practice
We follow the international sailing press, the communications of major events and models that work in other countries. The aim is to place the work done in Türkiye in a global context and bring good practice here. Any information taken from an external source is published with its source and a link.
How we work
Verification
Before a piece of information goes into a story, it is confirmed with a primary source. Press releases are not published as they arrive; the newsworthy part is taken and, where needed, the parties involved are asked.
Right of reply
Where a story contains a critical judgement about a person, club or organisation, that party is asked for their view before publication and the view is included in the story.
Corrections
When an error is found, a dated correction note is added at the end of the story. There are no silent changes.
Labelling
Content made possible by an organisation’s contribution is clearly stated; advertising and editorial content are also kept visually separate. Photographer credits are mandatory.
What do we care about?
Rüzgar Üstü is not limited to news. It treats three areas where sailing meets society as permanent parts of the editorial agenda, and in these areas it records not only results but also the models that help the sport grow.
Women sailors
Just as important as women’s participation in sailing is their ability to remain in the sport. Rüzgar Üstü highlights female athletes, women’s teams, and the programs that pave the way for them; it also addresses the factors that make it difficult for women to stay in the sport.
Social responsibility projects
Programs that cover the competition costs of young athletes, school and club initiatives that broaden access to sports, and practices protecting the marine environment: Rüzgar Üstü records these projects and connects those seeking support with those who want to provide it.
Türkiye’s recognition as a sailing nation
With its coastline, wind, and racing calendar, Türkiye is a strong sailing destination; however, it is not yet sufficiently recognized in the international sailing community. Promoting races in Türkiye to foreign athletes and increasing the visibility of Turkish teams racing abroad are part of this recognition.
Editorial guidelines
Independence
Rüzgar Üstü is not the house publication of any club, federation, organisation, brand or commercial entity. Organisations and individuals who contribute to the publication’s continuity gain no privilege over editorial decisions.
Free visibility
A sailor, team, club, school or good practice does not have to pay to appear in Rüzgar Üstü. What gives content its value is being worth telling.
Balance and fairness
We are a publication on the side of sailing’s growth; in reporting, we observe balanced representation of the parties and fair coverage. We try to convey the context of a race, club, team or brand accurately, alongside its strengths.
Source and accuracy
Dates, classes, sailor details and institutional data are verified against primary or reliable sources. Sources are named and linked.
Right of reply and corrections
A party that is the subject of a critical story is asked for their view. Errors are corrected with a dated correction note.
The substance of the story is not hollowed out
A headline does not promise more than the content delivers. The story of a race is not exaggerated to draw attention, and a sailor’s words are not taken out of context.
Room for those who are not heard
From professional sailors to those in their first race, from large clubs to small sailing schools, from brands to volunteers, we make room for the different actors in sailing. Visibility is not the right of whoever speaks loudest.
A public memory
We treat the content not just as current news, but as part of an archive that can be referenced over time. The goal is to ensure that the work done in the name of sailing and its people remain on record without being lost.
For journalists, editors and organisations interested in partnership: Media Hub. Rules, ORC and IRC, live tracking, a glossary and official sources on one page, to help you report sailing races accurately.
Editorial visibility is free. The publication’s continuity can be supported in different ways.
Publishing a sailor, team, club, school, race or good practice is not conditional on payment. Beyond direct funding, the publication’s continuity can be supported in the following ways.
Production
Support can be provided with a studio, shooting space, or equipment for video, podcast, and interview productions. Needs such as cameras, audio, and lighting can be made available for use by the platform, or the relevant service can be procured directly from a provider on behalf of Rüzgar Üstü.
Field access
By being invited to races, club events, and organizations, contributions can be made to generating more content from the field. Operational needs such as transportation, accommodation, accreditation, and similar can be supported through third-party providers.
Communication support
Organizations that want Rüzgar Üstü to reach more people can share the content on their own channels, help connect with the right people and organizations, or procure necessary promotional activities from third parties on behalf of the platform.
International visibility
Transportation, accommodation, or equipment support can be provided to facilitate the participation of Turkish athletes in international competitions. Assistance can be offered in promoting domestic competitions to foreign athletes and establishing connections with international clubs and media organizations.
Information and archive
Athletes, clubs, teams, sailing schools, and organizations can contribute to the growth of the collective memory by sharing news, data, photos, race schedules, interviews, projects, and archival materials. Every document shared today is part of the archive that will be consulted tomorrow.
No support given to Rüzgar Üstü creates editorial privilege. Content produced with an organisation’s contribution is clearly stated within the story. Supporting individuals or organisations have no priority over content selection, publishing frequency or editorial judgement.
Rana Akkurt
Rüzgar Üstü was founded by Rana Akkurt; she writes the content and holds editorial responsibility. She grew up in a seafaring family and today races on different boats and with different crews, from the J/70 to offshore racing. Professionally, she leads brand and marketing.
Meet Rana Akkurt and see all her stories →Our approach to journalism
Rüzgar Üstü works as a publication and adopts the core principles of journalism: verifying information, representing the parties in balance, reporting fairly and not hollowing out the substance of a story for the sake of a headline. It looks with curiosity for the story of the sailor who is not heard, the small club, the crew in their first race, and puts it on record. In media theory this approach is known as the social responsibility model: freedom of the press comes with an obligation to society, to give accurate information in context, to represent different groups and to open space for debate. Our editorial principles are the concrete form of this approach.
Masthead
- Publication
- Rüzgar Üstü
- Type
- Independent online publication, non-profit
- Founded
- 2026, Istanbul
- Founder and responsible editor
- Rana Akkurt
- Volunteer communications support
- Natus İletişim
- Languages
- Turkish, English
- Channels
- ruzgar-ustu.com · Windward Türkiye (podcast) · Instagram @ruzgar.ustu · LinkedIn
- Contact
- info@rüzgarüstü.com · Contact page
Get in touch
A race, team, athlete, project, school, or brand sponsorship: if there is something worth telling, let us know. You can write to info@ruzgarustu.com, use our contact page, or reach us via our Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.