The Techno293 and Techno293 Plus World Championships concluded successfully in Balatonföldvár, Hungary, from July 20 to July 28, 2024.

This prestigious windsurfing event brought together 340 competitors from 18 countries across three continents, showcasing extraordinary talent and fierce competition.

All 15 scheduled races were completed, alongside additional events like the coaches' regatta and a fun race, making it a comprehensive and memorable championship.

Among the standout performances, Greece's Danai Anagnostou emerged as a dominant force in the U17 girls' category, winning 9 out of 15 races to secure the world title.

Anagnostou attributed her success to her versatility in varying wind conditions and her strong starts.

Reflecting on her victory, she said,

"I think it was the wind variation that made me do so well. I feel stable in all types of winds, which changed daily here on Balaton. I managed to start very well, so I got the advantage right away."

Anagnostou highlighted the rigorous training and passion that characterize Greek windsurfers, mentioning,

"The Greeks are so good in this category because they train hard, they are passionate about windsurfing, and Greece is famous for its amazing winds. Last year I finished second in the T293 Worlds in France; this time I was determined to finish first. I gave my best every day, and the hard work paid off."

The championship saw remarkable achievements, particularly from Greek and Spanish competitors. In the U17 boys' category, Greece celebrated a complete podium sweep. Similarly, Spain showcased their prowess with complete podium finishes in the U15 girls' race and the overall U13 category.

The evening awards ceremony was a vibrant celebration, where medalists were joyfully carried on the shoulders of their friends and coaches. The loudest applause was reserved for Hungary's Bori Bósza, the U19 bronze medallist, who was dramatically carried on a surfboard by her teammates. 

The Techno293 and Techno293 Plus World Championships 2024 in Balatonföldvár were a celebration of skill, dedication, and the spirit of windsurfing.

With unforgettable performances and a spirited display of sportsmanship, the event will be remembered for years to come.

As the participants return to their home countries, they carry with them not just medals but memories of a remarkable competition set against the beautiful backdrop of Hungary.

T293+ Open Men

1. Yugo Saito (Japan) 
2. Minas Koutelas (Greece) 
3. Daiki Mishiba (Japan) 

T293+ Open Women

1. Kristyna Chalupníková (Czech Republic)
2. Kana Satomura (Japan)
3. Kokoro Hirose (Japan) 

T293+ U19 Men

1. Minas Koutelas (Greece)
2. Aris Panagopoulos (Greece)
3. Michael Andergassen (Italy)

T293+ U19 Women

1. Teresa Medde (Italy)
2. Nefeli Anagnostou (Greece)
3. Bori Bósza (Hungary)

U17 Boys

1. Panagiotis Ioannou (Greece)
2. Agapitos Michalis Stamatoulakis (Greece)
3. Pavlos Kallitsis Alagkiozian (Greece)

U17 Girls

1. Danai Anagnostou (Greece)
2. Martina Bárbara Tor (Spain)
3. Defne Egrilmez (Turkey)

U15 Boys

1. Evangelos Kyriazakos (Greece)
2. Georgios Kanellopoulos (Greece)
3. Spiros Monastiriotis (Greece)

U15 Girls

1. Olivia Sánchez Moral (Spain)
2. Lindia Miel Pousa Dios (Spain)
3. Mia Berazategui (Spain)

U13

1. Joshua Castro Jurek (Spain)
2. Biel Martorell Blasco (Spain)
3. Joan Servera (Spain)

Rising winds and rising stars  

The last two days have been eventful at the Techno 293 World Championships in Balatonföldvár, on Wednesday and Thursday there was a breeze on Lake Balaton, which was great luck for the organizers and the young windsurfers because such a long period of time is not typical for this time of year on this lake.

The U15 girls' category has been dominated for days by a Spanish trio, with Olivia Sánchez Moral confidently leading the field, having won six of the last seven races and finished second once, making her the absolute favourite going into the final races of competition.

"I'm never worried because I like all kinds of winds, maybe the best is medium, but that's not the end of it,"

said the Spanish leader,

"The first day the wind was light, then it picked up and then it eased a bit again. Windsurfing on lakes is a bit different because the wind shifts a bit more, which makes it harder to move forward, but I like to compete on lake and sea as well. This championships are great, the water is great, overall I'm very happy to be here. A year ago I was second at the World Championships in France and then this year I won the European Championships and I would like to win the gold medal again."

Thursday saw one more race than usual on the lake because one of the U17 boys' race was cancelled on Wednesday and made up the next day, so all competitors have completed the 12 races so far, with only three to go. On Thursday, the older age group took to the water earlier and were able to race in stronger winds than the younger age group who started later.

Kristóf Jancsó was still in fourth place among the U17 boys' after the third day, but after his mistake on Wednesday he feels that the increased point difference has put him off the podium, but he was able to recover and still enjoy the race on day four.

"The first two days were much less windy than the second two, the first one suited me better because I prefer the light wind and I was very close to the podium, three points behind the third one,"

said Kristóf Jancsó,

"Because my weight is light, strong is not necessarily my wind, but I enjoyed the race even though my results were not that good. I hope there will be less wind on Friday, because then it will be my day! Even if I don't make it to the podium, I want to show that I can be in the leading group and I want to get myself into the top five at the end, I think that's achievable. The top three are the Greek guys, they are very strong in this category right now, they are good in light winds and they are the best in strong winds."

The best performance of the Hungarian team so far in the past four days is Kristóf Gerlits, who is ranked sixth in the Techno Plus category, but third in the U19 category, where he is currently in medal position.

In the U13s, Antal Körtvélyesi is sailing superbly, fourth behind the Spanish trio leading the age group, but by far the best of those using a smaller 5.0 sail instead of the 5.8 typical for the category.

For this 4th day of racing, read the short Q&A session with Piotr Oleksiak, general secretary of International Windsurfing Association (IWA), who is extremely busy these day as controls over everything in the Techno293 World Championships.

We've have a very good event here in Hungary, right in the middle of the championship after Wednesday we have a nine races for everybody out of 15 planned so far.

So far we've been able to host races every day.  It's a well organized competition both onshore and offshore and I'm happy to be here and that we were able to foresee all of the problems before the start of the event, especially with the launching and then returning and make sure that the competitors have safe races.

I was worried mostly of the fact that we might have had a light wind because Balaton is known in the summer for a light wind. So far you could say it was the opposite as on Wednesday it was 20 knots and the kids have gone out to race. I'm sure they'll have a great memories from this event. 

We have had many championships all over the world both on lake locations and sea locations of all motions.

The main difference I would say is that I feel a little more confident when we're on a lake because we are surrounded so the safety aspect it's much easier in that that you cannot get blown away from the shore. So we don't have to worry about that.

The negative side is sometimes in lakes like this thunderstorms come quicker and you have to remember about. The weather can change more quickly in lake districts than it does in the ocean areas.

If you look at the boys and girls we have under 13 under 15 they are the new upcoming stars. We have a huge fleet of Techno Plus in Japan and their best competitors are here fighting for the world championship.

I'm very happy that we are able to serve all of them. And of course winning is an important part of the sport, but only one athlete can win in each category but the friendships last forever and are great experience learning new cultures. I think it's equally important as the competition itself.

BALATON HAS DELIVERED AT THE THIRD DAY OF THE TECHNO293 WORLDS

On Wednesday the athletes could compete in 20+kts as Lake Balaton showed a slightly different face on the third day of the Suzuki Techno293 World Championships. The wind and the waves picked up spectacularly, so by the end of the day the front runners in each category were starting to emerge.

In Techno Plus Men the Greek windsurfers have taken the lead from the Japanese rivals with Minas Koutelas and Aris Panagopoulos only four points apart after nine races, the best Hungarian is still Kristóf Gerlits, who is in eighth place.

“On Wednesday the wind was strong, which changed to a little bit safer over time, as it was on the previous days. I enjoyed it a lot, but without question the third day was the hardest,”

said Aris Panagopoulos, whom category did not race in the afternoon.

"We have good opponents, we fought for the first place with my compatriot Minas Koutelas, who is my good friend, but we don’t surf in the same club. It’s one of the best organised contests I can remember, we don’t spend so many hours on the water, so we don’t get so tired and we have enough energy for the next day. The wind is very safe here compared to the sea, the water makes the board faster, but it’s not different, it’s a really good competition.”

Aris Panagopoulos

Italy’s Guillermo Duranti and Kristian Porcu are competing in the U17 boys and they felt that Wednesday’s race was not really good for them, the course seemed a bit long in such strong winds, which made their job a lot harder, especially at the buoys, because they had to sail much faster than before.

There were also some minor communication problems between the categories due to the increase in speed, making this a more difficult day to complete.

One of the most balanced Hungarian competitors in the first 3 days was Dalma Gádorfalvi in the U15 girls’ competition, who is the daughter of the Hungarian surfing legend, European Champion, World Championship bronze medallist and six-time Olympian Áron Gádorfalvi, who is here of course with her as her coach in Balatonföldvár.

“I am very happy that such a big competition is being held in Hungary, which is special because we have been going abroad for similar competitions so far. Wednesday was a bit harder for me because of the high winds, I sail better in light winds because I am lighter weight. This is my second big race after the European Championships where I didn’t do so well, so I’m very happy to be in the front of the field now,” 

Dalma Gádorfalvi

WIND FROM VARIOUS DIRECTIONS AT THE TECHNO293 & TECHNO293 PLUS WORLDS

The wind didn’t get stronger on the second day of the Suzuki Techno293 World Championship, but rather more unpredictable, making the racing much more challenging for the windsurfers, with the wind shifting frequently and the order of the field changing easily. However, there were some who were not bothered by the conditions.

“The view is amazing, the weather is good, it’s actually my favourite type of wind and really fun to race here,”

said Japan’s Daiki Mishiba, who is in the 1st place in the men’s T293 Plus category after six races.

"I often practice on Lake Hyoko at home in Japan, which is very similar to Lake Balaton, the surface is calm and the waves are small. My goal is clear, I want to be a world champion.”

In the same category the local Kristóf Gerlits has performed well:

“The first day the wind was lighter but more stable, on Tuesday it was all over the place, so it was harder to race. On Monday I was angry about the early start, but I had to stay focused and go into the next race as if it hadn’t happened. On the second day I knew I can only move higher in the ranking, so I set myself the goal to be as fast as possible in every race,”

said Gerlits, U19, who competes in Techno Plus.

"I think it’s a big advantage for the Hungarians to be surfing at home on the Lake Balaton, I’ve seen some surprised faces among the opponents!”

One of the best performer of the Hungarian girls on Tuesday was Bori Bósza, who finished the day in eighth and ninth place, maintaining her 13th place overall. She thinks the world championship didn’t start well for her, she thought she would do better in light winds and was a little disappointed after the first day as she was aiming for a podium finish before the start of the Techno293 World Championships.

In the U17 boys’ category, the top of the field remained unchanged according to the first day, with Kristóf Jancsó still in fourth place behind the Greek trio. Peru’s five-man team travelled from over 10,000 kilometres to the shores of Lake Balaton to test their skills against the best young windsurfers of their age group.

One of their best performers at the World Championships is Bruno Mariano Mendoza Orihuela, who is 29th in the U17 boys’ field.  

“Lake Balaton is different from the sea, the wind is similar but the water is not salty so the board reacts differently,”

said the Peruvian.

"I really enjoy competing here, in Peru there are about ten people I can practice and compete with, but here are so many people and everyone wants so hard to compete, I just love it! I want to finish in the top half of the U17 category and I’m here to learn from the opponents. Hungary is so different from Latin America, the people are respectful, I feel like I’m in another world. It’s a wonderful place and I like the way the World Championships are organised.”

The final races of the second day of racing were postponed until after the afternoon hamburger party due to weather conditions and light wind, but in the end of the day the U13 and U15 age groups completed all their three daily races as well, so the complete field can start with the seventh race on Wednesday.

Leaders Take Charge on Opening Day of T293 Windsurfing World Championships 

It was a very colourful morning at the Spartacus Sailing Club on the first day of the Suzuki Techno293 World Championships in Balatonföldvár, with hundreds of sails spread out, leaving almost no free space.

But it seems that the Sunday practice was useful, everyone was even more disciplined and hit the water to one of the two courses.

The 340 competitors were spread out on the water, on the Alpha course the U13 and U15 boy and girls in the light windy conditions, while the Bravo course saw the U17, U19 and Techno Plus category to compete.

The field hit the water at 10am and returned at 2pm, with all three races taking place on the first day.

There were no lack of good results for Hungary, with Kristóf Gerlits winning the third race in Techno Plus and ended the day in 13th place ahead of Máté Kossovits, with the Japanese competitors claiming the podium with a brilliant first day of racing.

In the U17s Kristóf Jancsó came close to third overall, finishing third in the second race. In the U15 girls’ category, Dalma Gádorfalvi did well, finishing second in the third race to take third place overall place after the first day, and the U13 category also had a great Hungarian performance.

“My goal in the morning was to finish in the top five. The wind was shifty and a bit fluffy, but my start went well and I was quite sharp and had to be careful not to be covered. I had a Polish opponent who was sailing a 5.0 sail like me, I wanted to beat him anyway, and there were the Italians, although they were 5. 8 sail, but it doesn’t matter, everyone is the same opponent, no matter what size they sail have”

– said Antal Körtvélyesi after the first day, who finished fourth in the U13s, and in the third race he beat the whole 5.8 field with a 5.0 sail, and in the overall standings he is only behind of a Spanish trio.

In the U15 boys’ race, Greece’s Evangelos Kyriazakos had a great race, struggling to get into the groove in the first race but finishing first and second in the next two to races finish the day at the top of the age group.

“I had to pump the whole race because there wasn’t much wind, but I was one hundred percent focused and enjoyed the races,” said the young Greek, “I was a bit confused in the first one, but in the other two I was able to focus better and beat my main rivals, the Spanish and Italian guys. In the sea the water is salty, but here in the lake it’s not, which changes the way you windsurf, but it’s not that hard to change. In fact, I’m really happy to surf in the sea at my club, but I can also try myself here on the lake, I like the subtle differences. The Hungarian competition is very well organised, Hungary is a nice place and everything is very green here!”

Today marks the official commencement of the Techno293 and Techno293 Plus World Championships in the picturesque town of Balatonföldvár, Hungary.

The event, which runs until July 28th, will feature 15 races, drawing 340 competitors from 18 countries across three continents. This exciting windsurfing competition promises to showcase top-tier talent and thrilling races on Lake Balaton. 

The championships began with a vibrant opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon in front of the Balaton Club building. Hundreds of attendees gathered to witness the presentation of teams, each competitor proudly donning their uniforms and carrying their national flags.

The ceremony was graced by several distinguished guests, including Benoit Treguilly, Chairman of the Techno293 Class, Tamás Märcz, Director of Sports at the National Sports Agency, Balázs Szalay, President of the Hungarian Surfing Association, István Horváth, President of Spartacus Sailing Club, and Huba György Holovits, Mayor of Balatonföldvár.

Each dignitary received a commemorative plaque, and the event was enlivened by a spectacular basketball show from the Face Team Acrobatic Sports Theatre.

Arrivals and opening ceremony video

On Sunday, competitors hit the waters for the practice race, held at the Spartacus Sailing Club.

The trial run allowed participants to familiarize themselves with the course and get ready for what is to come.

The weather cooperated, offering a delightful backdrop for the competitors.

Practice race video

Today, the official races kick off, with a forecast of lighter winds setting the stage for the day’s three scheduled races.

Competitors are eagerly preparing to showcase their skills and vie for top honors in this prestigious event. The action promises to be intense and exhilarating, reflecting the high level of international competition.

As the Techno293 and Techno293 Plus World Championships unfold in the beautiful setting of Lake Balaton, spectators and participants alike can look forward to an unforgettable week of windsurfing excellence.

Stay updated with the latest photos, videos, and results on the official event website 

The Techno 293 and Techno + World Championships 2024 get underway this weekend on Lake Balaton, more like a sea than a lake, nestling in the heart of the European interior. 

Let's remind ourselves of the incredible stats around this 2024 vintage : 343 competitors from 19 different countries with a very even spread of entries in all the categories lining up for the races.

100 entries each in the "queen" classes of U15 and U17, 74 entries in the youngest age group and 70 in the eldest. Most of them have never even heard of, never mind sailed on this magnificent lake in the very heart of Europe, so it will be a voyage of discovery for almost everyone! 

With its huge surface area, the lake offers the kind of conditions usually associated with land-locked seas (such as the Caspian). 78 km long and more than 8 km at its widest point, but actually quite shallow (just 3.3 metres deep), this results in challenging conditions when the wind gets up. 

The competition is hosted by the Spartacus Sailing Club, which has helped generations of Hungarian hopefuls in their challenge for Olympic glory over the last few decades.

It also has extensive event experience, having overseen numerous major windsurf and sailing competitions in the past. All their infrastructure and know-how will ensure the best possible organisation and an unforgettable week for all the competitors at this 2024 Championship.  

There's a busy programme planned for the next few days of this windsurf fiesta :

arrival and welcome of all the competitors, equipment check, opening ceremony and parade through the streets, followed by the commencement of racing on Monday morning.

Time for action! 

To follow the event live and keep up with all the latest info, results, photos and videos, check out the official World Championship website at :