Everything you need to know about the Blue Ribbon, Europe’s oldest round lake competition
The Blue Ribbon Regatta, Europe’s largest lake race, will be held again on Lake Balaton for the 56th time this year, on the weekend closest to the July full moon, as tradition dictates.
It is exactly 90 years since the first Blue Ribbon race started at Lake Balaton. The regatta, organised under the banner of the Hungarian Sailing Federation, starts and finishes in Balatonfüred, after circumnavigating the Hungarian Sea, covering more than 155 kilometres. Today, the regatta has become Europe’s most prestigious and oldest round-the-lake competition. The Blue Ribbon’s course is the longest among the main European round-the-lake events and now boasts the largest competing fleet. This year’s competition will take place from 18 to 20 July for the 56th time.
Although the Blue Ribbon has been constantly renewed over the years, it has maintained its traditions, with traditional sailing boats still competing alongside those powered by modern technology. Kékszalag holds the current entry record of 681, making the Balaton regatta one of the biggest celebrations of sailing in Europe.
The early years of the Blue Ribbon Regatta
The first sailing race was held on 27 July 1934, writes Hamu és Gyémánt in a summary article. A year after its foundation, the Hungária Yacht Club announced a historic race to bring together the boats of the Hungarian Sailing Yacht Association for a Balaton-round speed race open to all.
In the past, the fastest ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean were allowed to wear a blue ribbon on their masts, a tradition adopted by sailors in Hungary, hence the name of the race. Initially, the race was held every two years in even-numbered years until 1942, when the Second World War interrupted the tradition. The competition resumed in 1947 after a five-year hiatus, and since 2001, the race has taken place annually.
The original itinerary of the sailing competition was the Balatonfüred-Keszthely-
56th Blue Ribbon in the middle of the heatwave
The extreme heat is not interfering with the preparations for the Blue Ribbon Festival in 2024, Origo reports. On the contrary, the heat is just another reason for more people to spend the most special week of the summer at Lake Balaton. This year, the Blue Ribbon Festival will start on Saturday 13 July in Balatonfüred. Competitors in the White Ribbon sailing race, which takes place before the main competition, will have to sail around the eastern part of the lake. Many see this race as a prelude to the Blue Ribbon.
The actual Blue Ribbon Regatta starts on Thursday, 18 July at 9 am. After departing from Balatonfüred, sailors will follow the usual route around the lake, passing Balatonkenese, Siófok and Keszthely, and returning to the finish in Balatonfüred within the 48-hour limit. Of course, the fastest boats will not only be competing against each other but will also attempt to beat the previous record of 5 hours 3 minutes and 56 seconds set by Márton Józsa and the crew of MLS Raiffeisen Fifty-Fifty.
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