SSL Team Hungary is coming to Brazil as the defending champion of the SSL Gold Cup 2023, starting the regatta from the Round of 16. The team is led by Zsombor Berecz and comes to the competition ranked 15th in the SSL Ranking.
Berecz is one of the most successful sailors in Hungary. Among his biggest achievements is an Olympic silver medal in the Finn class at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Three years ago, in Grandson, Hungary achieved something that seemed almost impossible: as a relatively small nation, but with huge potential, determination and ambition, the team won the inaugural SSL Gold Cup.
For Berecz and the Hungarian team, the SSL Gold Cup remains a clear priority. In preparation for this year’s competition, they have been training not only at the SSL Training Centre in Grandson, but also in Hungary.
“I think it was a huge opportunity for our team to be able to come here. SSL has a great setup with all the shore team, with the guys who are helping us on the water and also on the shore, so it’s just a perfect place to train. I think we made the most out of it,” said Zsombor.
The training camp was also an important opportunity to build the team and test different crew combinations.
“Our team is taking shape, so we know much more about each other than before, and I think we made huge progress here. The main goal was to make the final team, and also we were thinking about having backup team members for each position. We were testing that, and I’m very confident that the team is great and performed much more than I think anyone was expecting this week.”
There is still plenty of work ahead, however, especially when it comes to sailing together as a team.
“Of course, we have a lot of work to do to become a better team, but we’re going to spend some more time in Hungary in different boats to work on it,” he added.
Defending the title will not be an easy task, but the Hungarian team knows what it takes to go all the way. Three years after their breakthrough victory, the Shamans are back — this time with the experience of being the team everyone will be looking to beat.