AKPA Chemistry continues its support for sailing as a sponsor of the successful sailing team on the course and as a sponsor of the TAYK 51st Naval Forces Cup this year. Zafer Darcan, Deputy General Manager of the company, which has an important place in the yacht industry with its products, indicates that they are turning their sailing routes towards international waters.

From the management of AKPA Chemistry to its employees, the whole team loves being at sea. The sea, which is a work area for them with the productions they make for the boat industry, also becomes a center of pleasure and adrenaline thanks to the sailing teams. Of course, the biggest role in this belongs to the management team facing the sea. Zafer Darcan, Deputy General Manager of AKPA Chemistry, emphasizes the importance of every age group of company employees getting acquainted with sailing, saying, "We are all young at sea."

How did your relationship with sailing and the sea start? Did you sail in your childhood?

I am someone who loves being at sea, and I was aware of this feature of mine since my childhood. Sailing has always been a fun and adrenaline-filled sport for me, using the power of the wind. That's why sailing is a sport I wanted to do and love since my childhood. Because of my interest in sailing, when I was offered membership by the Tekirdağ Sailing Specialization Club, I accepted it gladly. Sailing, which requires understanding the wind and the sea, and moving together, further strengthened my passion. Starting as just a member at Tekirdağ Sailing Specialization Club, where I started as an executive, my interest in sailing continued as I began to work as a manager.

Do you go out on the course with the AKPA Chemistry team, do you participate in races?

Yes, I go sailing with the AKPA Sailing team whenever I have the opportunity. Being a member of such a beautiful team as AKPA Sailing also makes me happy. Sailing becomes much more enjoyable, especially when done with such a good team. I believe that everyone who loves the sea in our esteemed country, surrounded by seas on three sides, should try sailing at least once.

Do you go to the sea on your vacations or in your free time?

I love spending time at sea with my family, and I try to instill the love of the sea in my children as much as possible. Experiencing the feeling of freedom that the wind and the sea give with my family is a different pleasure.

You are still actively serving at the Tekirdağ Sailing Club. Can you tell us about the support you provide to club activities as a company?

While I am not currently serving as an executive at the Tekirdağ Sailing Specialization Club, during the periods when I served as an executive, we carried out many activities as AKPA Chemistry to ensure that many Tekirdağ sea lovers were directed to sailing sports with amateur maritime courses opened in the club, which raised hundreds of licensed sailors. We supported the addition of new 420 boats to our athletes and made boat purchases.

How did the Big Race go for AKPA Chemistry as a company and as a team?

This year, we are proud to sponsor the AKPA Chemistry-TAYK 51st Naval Forces Cup Race, which is the longest and single-stage race ever held in Turkey, with a distance of approximately 390 nautical miles. Unlike previous years, the AKPA Chemistry TAYK Naval Forces Cup Yacht Race, completed in a single stage, which is quite challenging and long in this respect, was quite exhausting and enjoyable for all our athletes and us. We closely followed all moments of the race, and we are happy to be in such a beautiful race full of excitement. In the AKPA Chemistry-TAYK Naval Forces Cup Yacht Race, which we sponsored and also participated in with our own sailing team, we finished the race in 3rd place in the IRC 1 area, which also made us happy and proud. I couldn't participate in the race with the team this time, but I want to participate in the coming years.

How will your collaboration with TAYK continue in the future?

Although our collaboration with TAYK started this year with the AKPA Chemistry-TAYK 51st Naval Forces Cup Race, we have achieved successful and good synergy. As AKPA Chemistry, our sponsorship will continue in the coming years. One of our projects is to take our country's sailing efforts to international platforms. There is no other race in the world that combines two seas and two straits. As AKPA Chemistry, we aim to announce the successes of our country in sailing to the whole world, which has such important courses and natural beauties, and to increase the international participation in the AKPA Chemistry-TAYK Naval Forces Cup Yacht Race in the coming years.

In the interview we conducted with AKPA Chemistry General Manager Kemal Darcan, he mentioned your goal as a sailing team to participate in international races. Has your route for this been clarified?

Yes, we are planning to participate in races abroad. Although AKPA Sailing is a new team, it has achieved significant successes in the races it has participated in. Since we are all young at sea, I believe that by directing our employees of all ages to the sailing sport and creating a team that carries the spirit of teamwork, we will aim to achieve beautiful successes both in our country and abroad. To support the representation of our country internationally, we awarded the first team of the AKPA Chemistry-TAYK 51st Naval Forces Cup Yacht Race with the J-70 Monaco Winter Series 1 special award on November 3-6. With this special award, we cover the round-trip plane tickets, race registration fees, transport, and boat rental of the four-person crew of the winning team. We will continue our efforts to represent our country internationally.