The July 1 Maritime and Cabotage Day was celebrated in Alanya with a series of enjoyable events. The historical greasy pole competitions provided nostalgic moments for spectators, while the competitors’ challenging races were breathtaking.
The program began with a wreath-laying ceremony, a moment of silence, and the national anthem at the monument. It continued with a procession to the pier and a wreath-laying ceremony into the sea. Following the protocol’s wreath-laying into the sea, the flag-raising by divers and the SUP board and Flayboard demonstrations garnered great interest. In the evening hours, traditional competitions such as swimming races and plate throwing contests, as well as boat towing and greasy pole races, provided delightful moments for the audience. In the greasy pole races, the eagerly awaited winner who reached the flag was 18-year-old Cihan Toros.
COLORFUL SCENES AT GALİP DERE BEACH
As part of the July 1 events, Alanya hosted an unforgettable night swimming event at Galip Dere Beach. Initiated by Alanya Mayor Osman Tarik Ozcelik, the night swimming event attracted hundreds of local and international sports enthusiasts, offering a scene of fun-filled moments. Mayor Ozcelik expressed his gratitude during the event, saying, “We organized such an event for the first time on Cabotage Day. I thank Abdurrahman Açıkalın and everyone involved in this effort. Every year, we set new goals for the following year. With the permission of Allah, I believe and will succeed in organizing these events with broader participation and in different versions next year. However, I also enjoyed participating in such an event with these wonderful people, young people, and our women. I thank all participants.”
“JULY 1 CELEBRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A NIGHT EVENT”
Abdurrahman Acıkalin, Vice President of ALTAV, commented on the event: “July 1 Maritime and Cabotage Day is being celebrated for the first time with a night event. We are crowning this meaningful day with a night swim. The essential message to be given here is that Alanya is a city where you can still swim in the sea from the city center. We are trying to highlight this feature of Alanya. Starting from this year, we plan to continue and improve our event every year.”
PHOTO CONTEST SPECIAL FOR CABOTAGE DAY
As part of the July 1 Maritime and Cabotage Day, Alanya Municipality and Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (ALTAV) collaborated to organize a photo contest capturing the significance and importance of the day. Results of the contest themed ‘Sea, People, and Alanya’ will be announced on Thursday, July 4, by Alanya Municipality (@alanyabld) and Alanya Tourism Promotion Foundation (altavofficial) accounts. The contest will award 5,000 TL to the first place, 3,000 TL to the second place, and 2,000 TL to the third place winners.
