The Lake Balaton cross-swimming one of the most popular sport events in Hungary, and we expect to have a huge amount of participants in 2018 too, so to have enough time for proper preparation we kindly ask you to arrive in time at the start. It can be difficult to find a parking lot, and this is one of the reasons why you should arrive in time, so this way you won’t get nervous before the swimming, and even if you can only park your car a bit far, you’ll have plenty of time to get to the start.

Be prepared that there might be longer lines upon registration and wristband pick-up, so please be patient with the staff and fellow competitors.

If you do not have a medical certificate, you can request a medical examination on the spot, but it is important to know that you can only participate at the race if the doctor qualifies you. Also, you will be required to pay an additional fee for the medical examination on the spot.

During the cross swimming you won’t really need anything other than you swimwear and swim goggles, thus please bring with you as few items as possible. Before the cross swimming, you can drop off in a package your dry clothes, towel, etc., that you will need after arriving at the finish. We kindly ask you to pack only the items that are essential for you. Please do not bring a huge luggage with you! You do not need a T-shirt/top, as you will get the official T-shirt of the event upon finishing the race. You do not need a raincoat neither, as the race will be cancelled in the event of rain. We cannot store or transport any valuable items. We are not responsible for any valuables!

Wear a comfortable swimwear that you have used before. We can totally understand that you like your new trikini, but it can be annoying if you realize at half the distance that it scratches your skin everywhere. We recommend that you wear a swimsuit/swim short that you already have tried before on a longer distance, making sure that it fits perfectly, it is comfortable and suitable for sport activities.

Using a high SPF sun cream specifically for your skin type is crucial. A cap/swim cap can be useful as well, depending on your swimming style.

As you will be doing the same movements for long hours, there will be body parts rubbing together; it is worth using Vaseline on them.

Spending hours in the water during the cross swimming, it may happen that your body temperature decreases, so in case the temperature of the water is below 22 degrees Celsius, you might want to grease yourself with fat, because fat helps retain body heat in cold water.

You will need extra energy to be able to swim 5 km, so eat loads of healthy carbohydrates, but do not eat a huge meal right before the race. The best thing you can do is to avoid eating 2 hours before the swim! On the day of the race try not to eat heavy, spicy food, but have something easily digestible for breakfast, and leave the goulash for later! To have a lot of energy during the race, start your day with a meal full of carbohydrates that are more slowly absorbed (eg. oatmeal). With all this being said, do not try out a completely new diet right before the race, because foods that are new to you can cause stomach problems.

There will be sailboats at every 25-30 meters on the swimming track between the start and finish line to ensure the safety of the competitors. If you are tired, just take a break, don’t get panicked; swim at a steady pace to one of the boats, rest a little bit, then continue swimming. In case you have any problem that you cannot solve on your own, don’t hesitate to ask for help primarily from the staff, or from fellow competitors.

Have a successful race!