Hungary readies world's longest lake waterway for 44th Lidl Balaton swim

On 18 July, Hungary will host the 44th Lidl Balaton‑átúszás, a mass swimming event across Lake Balaton that has attracted more than 10 500 participants. The race covers a 5.2 km stretch between Révfülöp and Balatonboglár, and organizers have constructed what they call the world’s longest lake waterway to guide the swimmers.

The waterway is lined with 150 sailboats and overseen by five motor boats and the water police. Three hospital ships are on standby, and military‑grade lighting and range‑finders are used to position buoys and vessels with high precision. “When a participant steps into the water at Révfülöp, ideally they just focus on their own pace,” said Kocsis Árpád, CEO of Budapest Sportiroda. Lidl, the title sponsor, highlighted the event’s role in promoting an active lifestyle, and the SUP (stand‑up paddle‑board) category set a record with unprecedented numbers of entrants.