Defending Title Win at the Blue Ribbon Regatta, a Race Full of Unexpected Turns

The winner of the regatta, MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty

The MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty driven by the defending champion Márton Józsa crossed the finish line first at the 56th Blue Ribbon (Kékszalag) Raiffeisen Grand Prix in Balatonfüred (northern shore). It took the winner more than twice as long to complete the distance as last year’s record time, given that participants had to race in very light to moderate winds for most of the day. However, the regatta was still a thrilling one, with the defending champion overcoming a big deficit to take the lead with about 50 meters to go.

In the end, 510 boats entered this year’s event, including 15 catamarans, meaning almost 2,500 competitors on board, writes Index. The start was on time this time, at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, unlike in 2023 when it was delayed by two hours due to unfavorable, strong windy morning weather.

According to the race’s website,

the winning boat came out on top in the last minute after a two-hour gap and triumphed with a time of 12 hours 24 minutes 47 seconds.

It was a foregone conclusion, based on the weather forecasts, that this would not be the year to break the record of 5 hours 3 minutes 56 seconds set last year by defending MLS champions Raiffeisen Fifty-Fitfy. The crew of the boat led by Márton Józsa was made up of Marcell Goszleth, Áron Németh, Csaba Adorján, Attila Józsa-Kovács, János Loránd Erőss and Áron Bagyó.

Second place went to Prospex-Delta (12 hours 25 minutes 37 seconds), led by Kristóf Kaiser, third to RSM (12 hours 30 minutes 12 seconds), led by Róbert Vándor, and fourth to Farkas Litkey with Process Solutions (12 hours 34 minutes 8 seconds).

Five-time winner Márton Józsa won the Blue Ribbon for the third time in a row.

Only István Németh was able to achieve such a feat in 1955, when he won for the third time in a row with Nemere II.

The Blue Ribbon is the longest cross-country sailing race in Europe, covering 155 kilometers in 48 hours. After the start in Balatonfüred, the competitors pass through Balatonkenese (eastern shore), Siófok (southern shore) and the Tihany Strait (northern shore), and turn back to Balatonfüred at Keszthely (western shore).

The time record for the Blue Ribbon is held by MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty, while Farkas Litkey has won the race the most times, thirteen times.

Via Index, MTI; Featured image via MTI/Krizsán Csaba