With over 7,000 participants in the race, there are continuous starts from 8 am – 2 pm for the 5.2K event from the port of Révfülöp to the Platan beach in Balatonboglár.
Like other mass participation events, safety is a focus of the organizing committee. A mandatory medical exam is required to participate. Every 20-30 meters, safety personnel on boats oversee the safety of the competitors.
Swimmers return from the finish in Balatonboglár to the start in Révfülöp by ferry boat.
László Szántó, head of the organizing committee, and his staff offer the Balaton Átúszás website that provides information in Hungarian, German and English for international competitors.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.