Renowned Turkish sailor Başak Mireli has led two yachts to the finish line of the Soledad Sailing Challenge 2025, which began at D-Marin Didim in Turkey and ended at D-Marin Borik in Zadar.

This challenge, organised by Soledad Marine Textile, involves two yachts – Soledad, a Comet 46, and Pero, a Grand Soleil 45. The yachts are crewed by seven people in total, with challenge leader Başak Mireli captaining Pero, whilst her husband Omer Ocel takes the helm of the second yacht, Soledad.

Başak Mireli has an impressive sailing record and over 30 years experience on sailing yachts. Just last month (July), she set the world record for solo sailing around Turkish Coasts from Hopa to Iskenderun, covering over 1800 nautical miles in 15 days, 6 hours, and 41 minutes. She also sailed around Cape Horn, and in 2023, she crossed the Atlantic Ocean solo in 24 days, becoming the first Turkish woman to solo cross an ocean.

The teams set sail on Ferragosto, officially on August 15, and arrived at Zadar on 1st of September, completing the voyage in 16 days.

The challenge across the D-Marin marinas symbolizes the connectivity of their selection of premium marinas across the Mediterranean, allowing sailors to navigate through the world's best yachting destinations within the comfort and security of premium marina facilities at D‑Marin. D-Marin also uses a suite of digital solutions to provide a seamless and connected cruising experience, whilst the 'Happy Berthdays' promotion offers D-Marin customers seven nights of complementary berthing at each marina.

Nataša Subašić, Acting Country Director of D-Marin Croatia, said: “We are proud that this challenge has come to Croatia, a country with a deep-rooted sailing heritage, and honoured that our marinas were chosen as the start and finish points. The Soledad Sailing Challenge further reinforces one of the core aims of D-Marin – providing connecting marinas where yachting enthusiasts can enjoy a premium marina experience at every step."