4x4 Fun at the ANDOFF Gala

The Ankara Offroad and Nature Sports Club (ANDOFF), which completed the 2014 season successfully with two national and three local events, presented the Ankara Offroad Cup trophies to the podium finishers at its "Champions' Night".

TOSFED President Metin Çeker, TOSFED Deputy President Kemal Kurtagiç and other officials attended the trophy ceremony, while ANDOFF's champions joined the gala with their families and shook off the fatigue of 2014 with an evening of entertainment that lasted until the early hours.

Opening the "Champions' Night" at the Akman Rönesans Banquet and Ballroom, ANDOFF President Muharrem Çelik said: "Dear ANDOFF family, we are a big family. We fought together throughout the 2014 season and got covered in dust and mud. The other clubs that travelled to Ankara to honour our evening today added colour to it and gave us strength. As long as our exemplary unity, solidarity and friendship with all of you continues, ANDOFF will keep on achieving more success." Çelik, who was at times emotional, concluded his speech by saying: "I am proud of you. The ruthless competition in the races, the fight out on the stages, is absent tonight, but it is the sense of sportsmanship that carries through. The way your rivalry in the races is reflected tonight as friendship, unity and solidarity has once again elevated ANDOFF. I thank everyone."

TOSFED President Metin Çeker, who also spoke at the Ankara Offroad Cup trophy ceremony, said: "ANDOFF is making a name for itself with very fine events. It will show this success again next season. ANDOFF has played a significant part in the rise of off-road sport in our country."

The hall erupted in applause as 2014 Ankara Offroad Cup winner Yunus Ayhan, known as "DEDE", and co-driver Bilal Karamemiş were lifted onto the shoulders of fellow competitors as they received their trophy from TOSFED President Metin Çeker. DEDE's biggest rival in the Ankara championship, İsmail Ayhan, and co-driver Cemal Akagündüz then collected their second-place trophies from ANDOFF President Muharrem Çelik, before kissing the hands of champion Yunus Ayhan in congratulation. The trophies for third place in the season went to Ümit Güvendik and co-driver İbrahim Gürlek, presented by TOSFED Deputy President Kemal Kurtagiç.

At the 2014 Champions' Night, which ran into the small hours on a snowy Ankara evening, plaques were handed out to the main sponsors who supported ANDOFF throughout the season, Mebuskent and Sultan Sucukları, as well as to the media organisations that played an important role in publicising the events and to the other supporting institutions, organisations and individuals.

Finally, a giant cake bearing the ANDOFF logo was cut by TOSFED President Metin Çeker, ANDOFF President Muharrem Çelik and the competitors, who expressed the wish that the 2015 season would bring another run of successful events. The night went on with dancing, games and entertainment until late. The competitors said their farewells, looking forward to meeting again in the 2015 racing season.