Turkey’s 3rd Presidential International Yacht Races set sail in the southwestern province of Muğla on Wednesday.

Participants in the 110-nautical mile first stage set off from the Marmaris Castle moving southward to the Greek Symi and Kos Islands before finishing in Bodrum Friday.

The winning team of the first stage will be awarded Halikarnas Cup, to be awarded at a ceremony at Bodrum Castle Saturday.

Prior to the kick of the race, Istanbul Open Sea Yacht Race Club chair Ekrem Yemlihaoğlu announced that a total of 40 teams and 450 athletes from 16 different countries registered for this year's event.

"We are very happy that we continue to grow every year. The Culture and Tourism Ministry has made great contributions to the promotion of our race," he said. Besides the participants, more than 45 members of the press will follow this year's races.

Like last year, the second stage of the two-stage event will take place in Istanbul, where participants battle it out for the Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa, Cumhuriyet and Mavi Vatan cups between Oct. 28 and Oct. 30.

The winner of the general ranking will win the Presidential Cup.

The Istanbul Open Sea Yacht Race Club, under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency, and in coordination with the Foreign, Tourism and Sports ministries, organizes the annual race.

The 1st Presidential International Yacht Races was organized in Istanbul between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1, 2020.