Our Girls Are in Sailing Too

At the J/70 Mixed Plus World Championship 2026 in Copenhagen, 38 teams from 13 countries took the start. Eker Efsane Women Sailing Team, racing for Türkiye, finished the championship first in Women Team, first in Women Helm, third in Corinthian and eighth overall.

A strong result in an international fleet. But it is not only about the result.

There are many women in Türkiye who sail, who race and who compete in international events. They are in serious competition in different classes, on different boats, in different roles.

Even so, their names are usually known only to people inside sailing. Why should more people not know them?

Why should we not look at the results after a race weekend? Why should we not have a favourite team? Why should we not follow an athlete’s season? Why, when a Turkish crew takes the start at an international regatta, should only the sailing community talk about it?

For sailing to grow, as many more people need to follow the sport as need to get on a boat.

The athletes of a sport that is followed become known. As athletes become known, the stories grow. As the stories grow, new spectators, new athletes and new supporters come along.

Maybe what is missing in sailing is not success. We just do not tell the story of that success enough.

That is exactly why Eker Efsane’s result in Copenhagen matters. It is not only a good race result: it is a sign that the names, the crews and the stories worth following in sailing are already here.

At Rüzgar Üstü this is part of what we are after. Who is racing in sailing? Who is winning? Who is on the way up? Who should we be following?

Because if we have our girls in volleyball, why not in sailing?