500 Sailboats Expected at Lake Balaton’s Blue Ribbon Regatta

On July 18, at 9 a.m., the 56th Blue Ribbon (Kékszalag) Raiffeisen Grand Prix, Europe’s longest and oldest circumnavigation competition, will start from Balatonfüred (northern shore of Lake Balaton). Nearly 3,000 athletes and more than 500 sailboats are expected to compete in the race. 

Speaking at the press conference of the Balaton regatta, Csaba Haranghy, President of the Hungarian Sailing Federation (MVSZ), said that the Blue Ribbon is being held for 90 years and this year it is the second most important event of the Federation after the Paris Olympics.

More than 500 sailboats are expected in Balatonfüred, meaning 2,800-3,000 participants.

He stressed that alongside the best, the majority of the field usually completes the 150 kilometer aerial distance Balatonfüred-Balatonkenese-Siófok-Keszthely-Balatonfüred in a day and a half, and that they encounter a wide variety of weather conditions during this time, which makes the race beautiful and exciting at the same time.

The MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty, steered by Márton Józsa, won last year in 5 hours 3 minutes and 56 seconds, beating its own previous record. Józsa said that he expects a close race in light winds, noting that the chances of another record are slim, because last year everything went right when the Hungarian-designed twin-masted catamaran improved its own record by more than two hours.

András Holczhauser, secretary general of the MVSZ and chairman of the organizing committee, said that the week-long Kékszalag festival will feature a number of additional events, such as the Kékpántlika for the youth, or the Audi Speed Challenge on Friday, where the fastest sailors will be able to measure their speed.

Visitors will also have the chance to meet the athletes of the Paris Olympics.

A new feature on the Blue Ribbon is that all boats will be equipped with tracking devices, enhancing the experience of the live online broadcast.

Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Kékszalag