BOSPHORUS 2008

ASIA TO EUROPE INTERNATIONAL

SWIMMING, ROWING, CANOEING and SAILING COMPETITIONS

TO BE HELD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

ON 20 JULY 2008 Sunday

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

COMPETITION HAND BOOK

APPLİCATİON FORM 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Traditional Asia to Europe International Swimming, Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Competitions are held in the Bosphorus in July of every year by Turkish National Olympic Committee. It is our mission to sow the seeds of sports pleasure and excitement and to create opportunities and time for doing sports, in accordance with the slogan “Sports for Everyone”. With support of related Federations, competitions will be held on 20 July 2008, Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with the participation of  people of every age, male and female, nationals and foreigners, interested in rowing, canoeing and sailing sports, as well as of people aged 14 and above who are interested in swimming sports.

 

This event, which was held for the first time in 1989 with the participation of 68 swimmers, hosted totally 4452 national swimmers in 19 years to date. In its international competition status launched in 1991 with the participation of 11 foreign athletes, it hosted totally 399 foreign swimmers of different countries in 18 years to date. 

In 19 competitions held to date;

Alican ALAÇLI broke men’s competition record with his score of 39.07.11 in 2006 while Beren KAYRAK breaking women’s competition record with her score of 40.58.35.

20th Asia to Europe International Swimming, Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Competitions will also host other sports activities during the organization.

 

ORGANIZATION

Competitions are organized with active participation of 40 institutions including Metropolitan Municipality and related Township Municipalities, Government Agencies, Military and Civil Society Bodies, Associations and Foundations, Sports Federations, Sports Clubs and Sponsors under coordination of the Office of Governor of Istanbul.

 

GEOGRAPHY AND BATIMETRICS

The Swimming, Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Competitions in the Istanbul Strait will start at the Kanlıca boat pier on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus and finish at the pier located in Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park on the European side, following a 6.5 km long race course which traverses the Bosphorus in Black Sea – Marmara Sea direction.

 

The distinctive and significant points encountered while swimming along the Bosphorus are respectively the Kanlıca Cove, legs of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Küçüksu Cove, Kandilli Peninsula on the Asian side; the Balta  Limanı Cove, Rumeli Hisarı Peninsula, Bebek Cove, Arnavutköy Cove and Galatasaray Island on the European side. Generally, along the race course, the sea is around 50 – 60 metres deep, reaching a depth of approximately 110 metres between Kandilli and Bebek.

 

For latest changes on technical matters, please keep on visiting our web site on the Internet. 

 

RACE COURSE SAFETY

A – Race Course General Safety

The Bosphorus will be closed to traffic during the races. Safety is ensured with aid of an adequate number of Ships-Boats operated by Military, Police and Non-govermental Organizations, as well as of inflatable boats with SAS-SAT Commandoes, Rescue and Underwater Command Teams ready for service onboard.

 

B – Race Course Swimming Water Safety

Conformity of those parts of the Bosphorus sea-water which are selected and used for swimming as a race course with essential requirements on the score of environmental pollution and swimmer health safety is re-certified every year through official reports issued by related health agencies. The Istanbul Strait housing the race course is already used as a natural swimming beach.

 

BOSPHORUS 2008 COMPETITION SCHEDULE and REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

 

I) SWIMMING COMPETITIONS

 

Competition Rules:

The enclosed “Handbook” is applicable for swimming competitions, and competition regulations of related federations are applicable for other branches of sports.

 

Categories: There are 12 categories for women and men.

 

AGE

14-18

19-24

25-30

31-35

36-40

41-45

46-50

51-55

56-60

61-65

66-70

71 +

Competition Group Codes

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

 

Requirements for Participation:

 

Priority for Participation in Competition

 

Everybody who is eligible on the score of age, health condition and swimming capacity and having no mental or physical handicap may apply for participation in 2008 Swimming Competition.

 

Registration procedures will be carried out with the following order of priority with an eye to spreading the participation in 2008 Swimming Competition to new masses of people:

 

1.        First-time Participants:

Candidates from Outside of Istanbul

Individual candidates residing outside of Istanbul and wanting to participate in competition for the first time must file their application with Provincial Directorates of Youth and Sports of the provinces entitled to quotas as defined in the below-given table no later than 22 June 2008, Sunday, until 2:00 p.m.. Candidates willing to participate in qualifying contests must be present and ready for such contests at such swimming facility as designated by Provincial Directorates together with their sports gear on the specified date and time.

 

Provinces of Adana, Antalya, Çanakkale, Denizli, Edirne, Elazığ, Eskişehir, Samsun, Trabzon, Şanlıurfa, Van and Zonguldak are entitled to a 5-swimmer quota, while provinces of Ankara, Bursa and Izmir entitled to a 10-swimmer quota.

 

Candidates from Istanbul

Registration procedures for candidate swimmers applying from Istanbul will be carried out at Ataköy Avni Akyol Open Swimming Pool on 28 June 2008 and, if quota limit is not achieved, on 29 June 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Number of quotas eligible for final registration will be announced on the Internet page on 25 June 2008. Candidates wanting to participate in qualifying contests must be present and ready at designated swimming pool together with their swimming sports gear. Candidates will be accepted for participation in qualifying contests only after they have gone through medical examinations conducted by doctors designated by Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate and Turkish Heart Foundation. Only those candidates who are found fit and eligible for swimming at the Bosphorus 2008 Competition by authorized trainers will be admitted for final registration.

 

Any domestic applications by way of postal service are not acceptable .

 

Candidates from Abroad

People wanting to participate in competition from abroad may get themselves registered by sending all of the documents identified in “Documents Required” section below to the address “Turkish National Olympic Committee, Olimpiyatevi 34158 Ataköy – ISTANBUL” in such a way that such post would be received by the Executive Board until close of office hours on 06 June 2008. The Bosphorus 2008 Executive Board will send information as to competition to such entrants through telephone number, fax number or e-mail address.

 

2.        Participants of 2007 Competition

People who participated and finished 2007 Swimming Competition;

will get themselves registered

·         at such swimming facility as designated by Provincial Directorates on 22 June 2008, Sunday, at 2:00 p.m., for non-Istanbul applications and provinces entitled to quota, and

·         at Ataköy Avni Akyol Open Swimming Pool on 29 June 2008 and, if no quota limit is not achieved, on 29 June 2008, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.,

submitting all of the documents identified in “Documents Required” section and going through required medical examinations.

 

People registered for 2007 swimming competition but failing to participate:

·         People who failed to come to pick up their bags and gears although they’ve have been duly registered, and

·         People who fail to come to swimmers’ boat on competition day although they have picked up their bags

·         Cannot file an application, nor get themselves registered, for participation in 2008 swimming competition.

 

Any domestic applications by way of postal service are not aceptable.

 

3.      Members of the Turkish Armed Forces Entitled to Quota

They will get themselves registered collectively under responsibility of an officer designated by North Sea Field Command upon submission of all of the documents identified in “Documents Required” section and of medical report issued by their respective military units. Related documents must be received by TMOK no later than 06 June 2008, Friday, until 7:00 p.m..

 

 

4.      Licensed Swimmers (club and individual)

Swimming Sports Clubs must prepare individual “Registration Forms” for their licensed athletes. Besides, apart from all of the documents identified in “Documents Required” section and medical report, a list indicative of the fitness and eligibility for swimming on the Istanbul Strait as confirmed by a club-designated swimming trainer will be submitted by clubs to TMOK no later than 06 June 2008, Friday, until 5:00 p.m.. And as for individual licensed swimmers, they will file an individual application submitting the same documents until above-said date and time. Documents may be sent by way of postal service.

     

Athlete’s Certificate of Participation

 

After all candidate applications are assessed by the Executive Board, a “Certificate of Participation” will be issued to contestants entitled to final registration. Such certificates will be issued:

 

·         from Provincial Directorate of Sports for provinces entitled to quota, and

·         from TMOK Olimpiyatevi for Istanbul-based participants, TSK members and licensed athletes, and

·         from morning-of-competition meeting point for people who registered themselves from abroad through postal service.

 

Any candidates who fail to come to Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park pier, a place as designated as meeting point, on 20 July 2008, Sunday, at 08:00 a.m., together with their “Certificate of Participation” issued to them by Organizing Committee, will not be allowed to participate in competitions.

 

Documents Required

 

  1. Registration Form (can be obtained from the Internet page or from Youth and Sports Directorates of provinces entitled to quota),

  2. 2 small-sized (certificate-attached) photographs,
  3. Photocopy of ID Card (Photocopy of Passport for foreigners),
  4. For licensed swimmers, photocopy of license with valid 2008 visa,
  5. Notarized certificate of parent consent for swimmers aged under 18.

 

Gears Needed During Qualifying Contest

 

Swimmer swimsuits, slippers, towel.

 

Swimming Competitions Meeting Point and Time:

Participants will meet at Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park pier at 08:00 a.m. on the competition day. Application formalities will be completed at desks arranged as per registration number and “Certificate of Participation” will be checked, after which participants will be taken onboard the boat. Start will be given from Kanlıca boat-pier at 10:30 a.m.. Swimming time has been limited to maximum 2 hours.

 

II) ROWING COMPETITIONS :

Only open-sea type 2X (double sculls) boats are eligible for participation in this competition.

'Tecnical meeting' and Bosphorus access point is Anadoluhisarı Sports Club’s rowing facility. Competitions will be given a start off Kanlıca boat-pier at 10:10 a.m.. Finish line is off Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park finishing point in the European side. All boats will have crossed from Asia to Europe eventually.

Only clubs are eligible for this competition. Clubs must get themselves registered with Turkish Rowing Sports Federations no later than 17 July 2008, until 5:00 p.m. Technical meeting will be held at Anadoluhisarı Sports Club’s rowing facility on 20 July 2008 at 08:00 a.m..

 

III) CANOEING COMPETITIONS:

Only open-sea type K1 and K2 (Single and Double) canoes and Dragon boats are eligible for participation in this competition.

'Tecnical meeting' and Bosphorus access point is Anadoluhisarı Sports Club’s rowing facility. Competitions will be given a start off Kanlıca boat-pier at 10:20 a.m.. Finish line is off Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park finishing point in the European side. All boats will have crossed from Asia to Europe eventually.

Only clubs are eligible for this competition. Clubs must get themselves registered with Turkish Canoeing Sports Federations no later than 17 July 2008, until 5:00 p.m.. Technical meeting will be held at Anadoluhisarı Sports Club’s rowing facility on 20 July 2008 at 08:00 a.m..

 

IV) SAILING COMPETITIONS :

Only “12 feet dinghies” and “laser”s are eligible for participation in sailing competitions.

Competition will be given a start off Kanlıca boat-pier at 09:50 a.m. on the Anatolian side and sailors will proceed to park-side of the buoy off Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park and will finish the competition off finishing point. Meanwhile, boats will see the finish yet will keep on going on the sea to assemble at a Federation-designated location. Athletes of top standings will be taken to award-giving ceremony area by means of an auxiliary seacraft to attend the award-giving ceremony.

Registration must have been made with Sailing Sports Federation no later than 17 July 2008, until 5:00 p.m.. Technical meeting will be held at Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park, designated as the finishing place, on 20 July 2008, Sunday, at 08:00 a.m..

 

Competition Rules

Competition Regulations issued by related Federations are applicable. 

 

AWARDS

Competiters who are in the first three places in their categories at the Bosphorus 2008 International Swimming Competions are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals. Contestants who are in the first three places in overall standings are awarded trophy.

Competiters  who are in the first three places in Rowing, Canoeing and Sailing Competitions are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals and the winners boats are awarded trophy.

Organizing Committee may also present such other awards as might be determined during the continuation of the organization in parallel to contributions of sponsors.

Award-giving ceremony will be conducted at Kuruçeşme Cemil Topuzlu Park Finishing Point at end of every competition during the continuation of the organization.

 

Important Note: All updates as to competitions will be announced on our web site.

 

 

 

 

THE BOSPHORUS 2008 EXECUTIVE BOARD

 

Chairman

Türkay PEKER

Deputy Chrm

Nihat USTA

Coordinator

Engin AKSAN

 

Kemal YARKIN

 

Ersen KINAYYİĞİT

 

Bilal PORSUN

 

Saadet DURAN

 

Gürsel ŞEN

 

Levent KARATAŞ

 

Önder TÜRKER

 

Nazım ÖZSOYLU

 

Müfide ÇOTUK

 

Swimming Federation Representative

 

Rowing Federation Representative

 

Sailing Federation Representative

 

Canoeing Federation Representative

 

CONTACT

 

TMOK Secretariat   :  0212 560 07 07

E-mail                         :  info@olimpiyat.org.tr