Hungary Hosts Sailing & Windsurfing Championship At Lake Balaton

  • 16 Jun 2017 8:42 AM
Hungary Hosts Sailing & Windsurfing Championship At Lake Balaton
It is a special year for sailors and windsurfers in Hungary, as European and world championships will be held in two different locations at Lake Balaton, so there will be 155 sailing competitions and eight big regattas in Hungary this year. Hungarian Yachting Association (MVSZ) and Hungarian Windsurfing Association (MSZSZ) held a press conference together in Várkert Bazár on Tuesday, and they mentioned that the success of the Hungarian sailors, the well-trained hosts and judges makes it possible for Hungary to compete for hosting more and more international championships.

Chief secretary of MVSZ András Holzhauser highlighted that multiple Hungarian sailors belong to the international elite again, after several years, like Zsombor Berecz in Finn dinghy – he received silver medal in the world championship final last week – Mária Érdi in Laser Radial, Benjamin and Jonatán Vadnai in Laser Standard, and the Gyapjas brothers in 470 type.

This year’s most significant event is the Finn dinghy world championship between 1st and 9th September, which will be held in Balatonföldvár. Laser European Championship – which also falls into the category of Olympic ships – will be hosted by Balatonfüred Yacht Club (BYC), which is celabrating its 150th birthday this year. The European championship of one of the most active larger boat categories, the J/24 will also be held in Balatonfüred.

MVSZ has already won the hosting rights for more international competitions: Dragon European Champioship will take place in Balatonfüred in May, and Spartacus Sailing Club will provide a venue for Laser Radial European Championship.

Hungarian Windsurfing Association’s significant event will be the Raceboard European Championship in Balatonfüred between 4th and 9th September. Leading host Levente Nagy-Pál stated that the windsurfer association takes it as a great success that Hungarian windsurfing has been brought up from the underground, as more and more hobbyist and professionals are attracted by this watersport.

He told that Raceboard is an extended Olympic category that contains the RSX that is also included in the Games’ program. 110-120 windsurfers are expected for the European Championship, 19-20 of them are Hungarians, which includes six times Olympian Áron Gádorfalvi. He might win the gold medal, as the Hungarian audience hopes.

At the end of the press conference, Lajos Kollár from MVSZ and Mihály Varga from MSZSZ signed a strategical cooperation contract.

Source: Daily News Hungary

Republished with permission

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