ArkasSpor

Arkas Sports Sails to Australia for the World Championship

The Arkas Sports Sailing Team has begun preparations to represent Turkey in the 470 class in the 2008 Olympics in Peking . Arkas Sports Sailing Team members Efe and Hakan Karakaplan will continue training in Australia beginning in January. The two brothers have set their sights on placing in the top eight in the 470 class in the World Championship.

After placing second in the overall category in the Turkish Championship held in Istanbul last October, the Arkas Sports Sailing Team earned the right to participate in the World Championship that will be held in Melbourne , Australia and also opened the door for the 2008 Olympics.

The Arkas Sailing Team will represent Turkey among 25 other countries in the 470 class at the World Championships to be held in Melbourne , Australia on January 21-30. If the team finishes in the top eight, it will earn the right to participate in the Olympic Games that will be held in Peking, the capitol of China , in August 2008.

Hakan and Efe Karakaplan, who are members of the Arkas Sports Sailing Team, will continue their pre-Olympic training in Australia , where they will also participate in a preparatory race called Sail Melbourne that will be held on January 14- 20 in order to familiarize themselves with their opponents and the race course.

We Will Make Izmir a Prime City for Sailing

Arkas Sports Vice President Bernard Arcas noted that the Arkas Sports Sailing Club is at least as successful as their volleyball team and said, “We believe that our team will achieve success for Turkey on behalf of Izmir . We want to make Izmir a prime city for sailing through our achievements.”

Arkas Sports Sailing Team members Efe and Hakan Karakaplan said, “Our goal is to achieve success in this race, which will be a test of four years of our work. Australia is in a hemisphere that we are not accustomed to. Even the currents flow in the opposite direction. That is why we are going one month before the race date to begin training. We plan on qualifying for the Olympics for our country and our club and on returning from the Olympic Games with a medal.”

The trainer for the Arkas Sports Sailing Team is former Arkas Sports team member Kaan Özgönenç, who achieved the highest ranking for Turkey ever in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.