Determined and persistent, Hungarian sailor Szabolcs Weöres decided at the age of 49 that he wanted to race around the world singlehanded in the Vendée Globe 2024, following in the footsteps of Nándor Fa, the first non-French skipper to complete the race in 1992-93. Although he is a rookie when it comes to solo racing, he is certainly not new to sailing. Coming from a family of sailors, he started his career sailing Optimists, Cadets, 420s, FDs and Solings, then joined South Africa’s legendary Team Shosholoza for the 32nd America’s Cup as a rigger.
He has one round the world race under his belt aboard a Tripp 55, and multiple transatlantic passages and races, one with his mentor, Nándor Fa. More recently he has raced on a Marten 68 on the Mediterranean circuit, including a series of offshore classics like the Middle Sea Race and the Giraglia.
Besides sailing, Szabolcs is proud of his achievements on the triathlon circuit, completing an Ironman competition in less than 9 hours and qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in early October 2022.
His philosophy is to take everything step by step, manage expectations and systematically build up his solo sailing career. He now has the boat, an Owen Clarke design originally built for Dee Caffari before being taken on by Ari Huusela (Stark), together with a small, but professional support team and a large enough budget to keep him out on the water for the moment.
Szabi believes that if you focus and work hard, you can achieve your dreams. His dream is to be at the start of the Vendée Globe 2024.
2025: Course des Caps - 9th
2024: Vendée Globe - Abandon le 16/12/2024
Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 18th
New York Vendée - Les Sables d'Olonne - 25th
2023: Transat Jacques Vabre - 26th
Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération - 29th
Rolex Fastnet Race - 25th
2022: Défi Azimut : 23rd