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The 56th Blue Ribbon (Kékszalag) Raiffeisen Grand Prix started from Balatonfüred (northern shore) on Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
According to information published on the sailing race website, 510 boats – including 8 foreigners – have entered this year’s Blue Ribbon Regatta in 38 classes and rating groups. The catamarans are the fastest, with fifteen units competing, including the defending MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty.
MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty in the center. Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás
2,493 competitors entered the Blue Ribbon, 140 of them in the youth category, 7 in the adolescent category and 48 from abroad.
Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás
According to the weather forecast prepared by HungaroMet Zrt. at the time of the start, the winds in the eastern basin of Lake Balaton will be mostly moderate, with occasional strong northerly winds.
From Siófok (southern shore) towards Tihany (northern shore), easterly winds will prevail, while in the western part of Lake Balaton, the flow will remain more northerly. From the evening hours, a strong northeasterly wind is expected across the lake.
Mostly sunny, dry weather is expected, with clouds in the afternoon and a small chance of showers or thunderstorms.
Photo: MTI/Vasvári Tamás
Daytime highs will be around 32 degrees Celsius on the coast and 29 degrees Celsius over the water, with evening highs of 26-27 degrees Celsius. The water will be around 25.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday.
By Friday, the strong northeasterly winds overnight are not expected to be significantly disturbed by the lake circulation, with strong near-shore gusts possible, especially near the northern shore. Towards midday, the lake circulation will start to weaken the easterly flow, with variable flow in the central basin, with occasional calm spots. It will be partly cloudy in the morning, becoming cloudy in the afternoon, with a chance of showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon, mainly in the Bakony (mountainous region in Transdanubia). Morning temperatures will reach 26 degrees Celsius, daytime highs 29 degrees Celsius over the water and 32-33 degrees Celsius on the shore on Friday, the weather forecast says.
Photo: MTI/Krizsán Csaba
The time record for the Blue Ribbon is still held by MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty, led by Márton Józsa, beating his own previous record of 5 hours 3 minutes 56 seconds last year, with Farkas Litkey winning the most times, thirteen times.
Via MTI; Featured image via MTI/Vasvári Tamás