A fine season in Hungary

A top performance on international waters: that was the most important thing which 2012 brought the Hungarian Dragon Fleet. Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi and his crew has been training very hard since May 2011 when they joined the Hungarian fleet. After sailing in Cascais throughout the winter 20111/12, their efforts have been rewarded by the best place ever achieved by a Hungarian Dragon sailor in an IDA Championship. Feri and his team mates, Tamás Kiss, an excellent trimmer (a former FD man) and his middle man, Károly Vezér, a crew member of Olympic Soling sailor György Wossala, sailed onto the 7th place in the Gold Cup in Kinsale. Even more, they had a good chance to be on the podium even before the last race. Their skills are even better displayed by the fact, that they arrived in Kinsale to sail a chatered Dragon just one day after after leaving Balatonkenese on Saturday afternoon, where they won the Hungarian Championship even without participating in the last race.

For the rest of the fleet, the 2012 season showed the nice face of Balaton. Unfortunately, the financial and economic problems in Hungary reduced the number of boats participating in Dragon regattas, nonetheless, the small fleet of 15 to 20 boats fought interesting and close races. Early June, the Johan Anker Cup has been awarded first time to the winner of the Hungarian Fleet Championship which was sailed in Balatonfüred. The venue was generously offered by the Hungaria Yacht Club, the club of Dragon sailors Rudolf Andorka and Lóránd Gömbös. After 7 races in light and medium conditions Lóránd Gömbös’s Jampec proved to be the best of 14 Hungarian and one German Dragons. 

The Hungarian Championship, sponsored by the Hungarian Dragon fleet’s long-standing supporter, Erste Private Banking, was held on the venue of the 2010 Europeans, in Balatonkenese. Starting on Wednesday afternoon, 9 races could be sailed in ideally versatile conditions: with winds of 10 to 15 knots on Wednesday, 20 to 25 knots on Thursday, and 5 to 10 knots on Friday and Saturday. Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi let no doubts about his dominance, but the fight for the second and third places were often until the last leg on Saturday. In the end, Péter Tenke and his team were awarded the silver medals, and Lóránd Gömbös had to be content with bronze.

We are sure that 2013 will be a similarly succesful season, where some international Dragons also visit our races. The Hungarian Championship will be held in June in Tihany, maybe the most beautiful place in the region, and the Johan Anker Cup in September in Csopak on the North shoreline. 

We are pleased to invite all Dragon sailors to these IRL-events. Details can be found on our English-language blog: http://saildragoninhungary.blogspot.hu/ or just ask 

Vilmos Náray on e-mail at: info@dragonclass.hu.

Hungarian Championship early September

It is a good warm up for some Hungarian sailors right before the Gold Cup: the Hungarian Championship. So why not for you? It Balatonkenese, the venue of the Europeans in 2010, there are 9 races planned. Accomodation in the hotel directly at the harbor, no lengthy driving is needed. Just sailing and relax, with the mild thermical autumn wind around 12 knots, typical for Balaton at this time.

You find the Notice of Race here.

If you need further information, do not hesitate to contact us.

Vilmos Náray
Hungarian Dragon Association
Phone: +36 20 369 2126
E-mail: info@dragonclass.hu

Season is starting in Hungary

With Easter time the Dragon season is starting in Hungary. As two very active boats, Jampec with Lóránd Gömbös and Hanni with Ferenc Kis-Szölgyémi, were sailing a lot in the winter time in the Mediterranean respectively in Cascais, most of the Hungarian Dragonists are trailing these days their beloved boats to Balaton.

The Hungarian Association gives a spark to the season by a Dragon Clinics which is on April 19-20. Technical advice, help to each other, and coaching on short courses in Alsóörs are on the program. It is a very good chance to practice and get new team members up on speed. The Clinics was a success last year and with a good dinner on Thursday night it must be a success again!

With a new initiative the Class is "recruiting" new crew members for Dragons from among young sailors in other classes. The Class Association is funding the entry fees for ranking list races for a boat, helmed by the experienced Dragon sailor Noel Nedbal, who will be sailing with the applicants who are registering for our announcement.


After some local regattas the first international race will be held on June 1-3, a week before the Europeans in Austria, in the most beautiful town at Balaton, Balatonfüred. The Notice of Race for the Erste Private Banking Dragon Fleet Race can be found here, and we expect about 20 boats, among them some friends from abroad.


If you have any questions, just contact us here.

See you early June in Balatonfüred!

Those of you who participated in the 2010 Dragon Europeans in Balatonkenese might wonder why we chose another place for our traditional early June regatta. Those, however, who have ever been to Balatonfüred, this nice 19th century town with its vivid lakeside allee, old-style villas and hotels and - for the young generation - a never-stopping night-life in the summer, it might not be a big surprise. See more of Balatonfüred here.


The town was always a center of yachting life on the Northern shoreline of Balaton. In the late 30s it was here where Hungaria Yacht Club was established as one of the pioneers of sailing sport in Hungary. No matter that the club went through a series of owner changes since that time it is still remained an ambitious club. Its latest members, among them two passionate Dragon sailor, Lóránd Gömbös and Rudolf Andorka, made it a jukebox for sailors. That is why the Hungarian Dragon Association was open when they requested to organize of the major Hungarian Dragon regattas here in 2012. After some considerations we picked our traditional Dragon Fleet Championship for them to organize in early June 2012.

For all of those who might want to come to a lake before getting to Attersee at the Europeans, Balatonfüred might be the right choice. Three days with planned seven races, races just in front of the harbor, a warm welcome in a small yacht club and nice events.

The program:

ERSTE PRIVATE BANKING DRAGON FLEET CHAMPIONSHIP

Date: June 1-3, 2012

Venue: Balatonfüred, Hungary

Friday, June 1: 8.00 hrs: registration, 12.00 opening 13.00 hrs start to Race 1, subsequently further races (not more than two). Free beer at the bar, barbecue event in the harbor.

Saturday, June 2: 10.00 hrs: Races (not more than 3). Free beer at the bar, dragon party in a nearby restaurant.

Sunday, June 3: 10.00 hrs: Final races. Prize giving not later than 15.00 hrs.

Those who want to go to Attersee, Balatonfüred is not further than a drive of 6 hours.

Looking forward to see you there!

If you have questions do not hesitate to contact me.

Vilmos Naray

Hungarian Dragon Association

info@dragonclass.hu

Sail Dragon In Hungary

Dear Dragon Sailors!

You will find in this blog useful information about Dragon Sailing in Hungary. We hope to see you soon on our wonderful lake Balaton on one of the regattas!