After 23 days and 64 races, Hungary won the inaugural SSL Gold Cup in Gran Canaria. The competition brought together 56 nations, with qualifying on Lake Neuchâtel determining the route into the 40-team Final Series. Five rounds in Gran Canaria led to a single, decisive Grand Final.

One race to decide the world champions

The wind was light, but tension rose throughout the five-minute countdown. Racing begins before the starting signal: crews fight for position, aiming to cross the line at the right place and at full speed. In this one-race contest for the title of World Champion of Sailing Nations, there would be no second chance.

Spain and the Netherlands made strong starts, crossing the line with speed. Hungary was squeezed out at the committee-boat end by the Dutch and Italians. Italy approached too low and had to head up near the mark, slipping behind the Spanish yacht.

Hungary’s “Shamans” recovered by choosing an excellent course on the first upwind leg. On the final approach to the windward mark they outmanoeuvred Spain’s “La Armada”, turning a ten-second deficit into a twenty-second lead. Spain was then exposed to an attack by Italy’s “Gladiators”.

On the downwind leg, the Hungarians committed to the left while the other boats went right. It was a bold tactical call from team captain Zsombor Berecz. The Italians also challenged Spain, while the Netherlands’ “Dutch Lions” used their speed under spinnaker to rejoin the battle.

A well-executed spinnaker drop helped Hungary maintain its advantage at the leeward mark. The Dutch rounded just 25 seconds behind, having made up around half a minute since the windward mark and overtaken both Italy and Spain.

Hungary holds off the challengers

The Netherlands continued to push, but Hungarian helmsman Róbert Bakóczy kept the boat moving while Berecz made the tactical decisions. The team, which had entered the Gran Canaria competition in the 1/16 Finals, read the local wind and waves impressively.

Behind Hungary, the three challengers fought closely. Italy tacked on the Netherlands, who in turn held Spain out on the left. Their exchanges helped the Hungarians extend their advantage: at the next windward mark, Hungary led by 46 seconds, while only 14 seconds separated the other three boats.

As the breeze weakened further, Italy mounted another challenge. Hungary defended the lead and crossed the finish line as the first SSL Gold Cup champions. Italy took silver, the Netherlands bronze, and host nation Spain finished fourth.

The Hungarian crew named in the final-race report included Zsombor Berecz, Róbert Bakóczy, Marcell Goszleth, Csaba Adorján, Ákos Lillik, Levente Takácsy, Balázs Tomai, Zsombor Gyapjas and Áron Németh. Their success was a remarkable team achievement.

The “Shamans” had been at the venue since 16 November, progressing through four rounds against 13 other teams before the Grand Final. Over 17 days they built a campaign that ended with the inaugural title and an inspiring result for Hungarian sailing.

What the sailors said

Reflecting on the winning move near the first windward mark, Berecz praised the boat speed and his crew’s confidence. He said it had been a pleasure to lead a team capable of sailing the boat so well.

He also emphasised the team’s unusual strength: only a few members sailed professionally, the others had different day jobs, and they had financed their campaign themselves without a sponsor.

“Perhaps individually we are not the best sailors in this competition, but as a team we are the best, and I am very proud of that.”

Zsombor Berecz, Hungarian team captain

For Berecz, belief in the possibility of winning—and convincing the entire crew of it—was central to the result. Simple as that sounded, it depended on the whole team.

Bakóczy described an extraordinary period and said the crew could hardly believe what they had achieved. After the difficult start they concentrated on rebuilding speed. They expected a shift to the right, it arrived, and within about a minute they were back in contention.

Italy’s Vasco Vascotto acknowledged that Hungary deserved the win. His team had taken risks to recover, and he considered second place an excellent result after such a hard-fought contest. He thanked the crew, organisers, race committee and officials.

Dutch helmsman Nicholas Heiner praised the format for bringing together people who would not normally sail with or against one another. He admitted that Hungary had become his favourite team by the end of the event. Asked whether he would return for a second edition, his light-hearted answer was: “If I am good enough!”

A celebration of sailing nations

The prize-giving began with a drum parade from the moored SSL 47 yachts, along the pontoon and into the event village. The four finalist teams received enthusiastic applause, and children asked their new sailing heroes to sign their jerseys.

World Sailing Vice-President Yann Rocherieux spoke about the event’s role in encouraging participation around the world. Its World Sailing Special Event status placed it alongside other major international sailing competitions, including the America’s Cup and SailGP.

Finally, Hungary lifted the SSL Gold Cup as the first World Champion of Sailing Nations. Regatta director Paul Hutton-Ashkenny closed the event by celebrating a competition broadcast live to audiences around the world.

Watch the event video

Photographs and original report: SSL Gold Cup. The event is also covered in World Sailing’s Grand Final report.

Congratulations to the Hungarian team from Sailing World!