Thousands can explore the country this summer—in the water! A unique series of open-water swimming competitions, called the Open Water Tournament (OWT) will begin in June: contestants can test their skills in Lake Balaton, the Danube, and the Gyékényes diving lake throughout the summer. The first stage of the series will take place in Balatonfűzfő, and by the end of the summer, the best open water swimmers in Hungary will be named. OWT’s professional sponsor is Dániel Gyurta Olympic, world and European champion swimmer.
Not long to wait now, as the first race begins on June 26, in the bay of Balatonfűzfő: amateurs can try themselves over a three-kilometer long, while professionals over a nine-kilometer long distance. The next competition will be hosted by Paks on July 17, where contestants can swim on seven- and fifteen-kilometer long, straight tracks. The OWT will visit Gyékényes on August 21: one of the tourist attractions of this border town is the Kotró quarry pond, which is a popular destination for divers thanks to its fifteen-meter depth. Due to this spectacular depth and the clear water, swimmers may see a variety of aquatic creatures and also wrecks sunk by divers. Another special feature of the three-kilometer track is the island situated in the middle of the lake, to be circled once by amateurs and three times by professionals.
Contestants can register and start at individual times to avoid crowds on land and in water. The organizers will mark out swimming corridors to minimize circling buoys and walking in the water, as the event’s focus is on swimming. OWT contestants will have nothing to worry about but swimming and focusing on their performance.
For more information, visit the Open Water Tournament’s website!!
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Source: Press release
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