Excitement Peaks at the Ankara Cup

The Ankara Off-Road Club (ANDOFF) staged the opening round of the five-event 2015 Ankara Off-road Cup at Beytepe with a special Women's Day event, attracting 33 crews.

The start was given by Nevin Gökçek, wife of Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Melih Gökçek. In total, 36 competitors from various provinces and districts across Turkey registered, and 33 crews started. As the event fell on Women's Day, the race began with Nevin Gökçek flagging off the first vehicle, and the only female competitor, co-driver Yasemin Toker, was also on the entry list. Before starting the female competitor, Gökçek chatted with the crew for a while, presented a carnation and asked about both the racing and off-roading.

On a specially prepared course at Beytepe, full of assorted obstacles and challenges, the 33 crews tackled a 3km stage with 15 obstacle gates, completing four laps for a total of 12km.

The event took place in a picnic atmosphere, with Ankara residents showing keen interest, and an Enduro motorcycle race was held for the first time. Taking advantage of the lovely weather, locals flocked to the course, enjoying the excitement of the racing on one side and a picnic on the other.

In a closely fought and highly competitive event, the crews that reached the finish and shared the top three places were as follows:

1. Yaşar Çevik-Murat Ünver ... Mitsubishi L-200
2. Ahmet Ünlü-Ayhan Yıldırım ... Nissan Terrano
3. Mustafa Özgiray-İhsan Özgüneş ... Mitsubishi Pajero