Offshore powerboat racing is coming to Turkey, including races in Mersin and Adana (I don’t know if the article refers to the cities or provinces – Turks have an annoying habit of not differentiating between the two).

If powerboat racing is coming to Adana city, the race would be held in the dammed Lake Seyhan. I wonder where the Mersin race will be – something to look out for.

The Turkish Offshore Championship series will have 12 races. Two points caught my eye in the Turkish Daily News article announcing the series:

1) The Istanbul Offshore Club (another IOC) chairman Ugur Isik “notes that the engines of the boats are environment-friendly“. This is not logical for such an event and in contrast to the Wikipedia description of of the ‘sport’:

Offshore powerboat racing is racing by large, ocean-going powerboats, typically point-to-point racing.
Probably the largest, most powerful racing machines of all, the extreme expense of the boats and the fuel required to participate make it an expensive and elite sport.

2) Z-grade celebrity Kiera Chaplin, the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, is promoting the event. I wonder a) how much she is getting paid and b) what she knows about the sport. At least she will attract the Turkish media!:

UPDATE: according to the Istanbul Offshore Club’s website, Adana’s race is on Lake Seyhan next weekend (26th-27th) and Mersin’s race will be held at Mersin city 2 weeks later.

Here is a photo of Kiera Chaplin in all her Turkish powerboating goodness:

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