The 2025 IKA Masters Worlds kicks off today with 23 kiteboarders from 13 nations and five continents gathering at the Bilge Ozturk Kite Club on the shores of the Black Sea.
Competitors would have to wait all day for the light breeze to strengthen enough for racing to begin, but it was an opportunity for competitors to connect, reminisce, and rekindle old rivalries.
© IKA media/Robert Hajduk
To be eligible for the “Masters”, athletes must be aged between 35 and 45, while the over-45s proudly fly the flag as “Grand Masters”. Although banter flows freely between the two groups, with more than a few jibes about ‘young apprentices’ and ‘old sages’, once they hit the water, it’s very competitive with all ages and both sexes competing in a single fleet.
© IKA media/Robert Hajduk
The host venue, Bilge Ozturk Kite Club, is perched on wooden stilts overlooking the golden sands of Goga Beach, a mecca for Istanbul’s watersports fans. The beach is lapped by the Black sea, huge cargo ships sit anchored offshore waiting their turn to enter the Bosphorous and transit into the Mediterranean. It is also where a young Bilge spent her summers, mastering the skills that would later make her a Turkish kiteboarding legend.
© IKA media/Robert Hajduk
“Having 22 sailors from 13 nations come to compete here is a huge thing for me, this was one of my dreams, to host an international event. I’m especially proud that countries like Lithuania, Estonia and India are represented for the first time in the Masters.”
© IWSA media/Robert Hajduk
Ozturk has kept busy since stepping down as coach of the Turkish national kiteboarding team. She now juggles three kite schools and a successful cosmetics brand but true to her competitive spirit, Bilge isn’t content with just running the show, she has also dusted down her foil to represent Türkiye once again.
© IKA media/Robert Hajduk
“I’m looking forward to being out there racing, even though it’s been quite a while for me - almost 6 years. Coaching is different from actually doing it. I’m not sure when I tell my body what it should do if it will actually do it!” laughs the 47 year old in between instructing staff on refilling the coffee machine.
© IKA media/Robert Hajduk
Among the local hopefuls is Cengiz Dincoglu, the 55 year old, who spent much of his career on Wall Street, is competing at his first Masters World Championships “It’s great to be here representing Turkey. I’ve only been racing competitively for three years, so if I manage a mid-fleet finish, I’ll be very happy.” he said over a coffee in the Goga Beach bar where a group of Grand Masters held court.
“We’re the grand-masters at this table” said Martin Jensen, “The Masters are like apprentices, they have to sit at a different table” joked the Danish business consultant who celebrates his half century this year. .
© IKA media/Robert Hajduk
It wasn’t until 6pm that the Black Sea breeze kicked in sufficiently for racing to begin. The red and white postponement flag was dropped signalling a rise in adrenalin and heart rates. The warriors were back in action, age be damned.
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