Dr. Szabó Lajos: Nők a magyar sportban (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 3. Budapest, 2003)

WOMEN AND WATER SPORTS Boating became a typical week-end leisure activity in the 19th century. It was usually pursued on the artificial lakes of recreational parks that emerged around growing cities {like the „Városliget" or City Park in Budapest). The introduction of English-style competition rowing was initiated by Earl István Széchenyi, yet it only became popular after the I920's, principally among university students and young professionals (this was also true for men's competition rowing). As a result of Act 53 of 1921 which required companies and public institutions to build sports facilities, more and more boathouses were erected by the lakes and rivers. Extended opportunities for pursuing leisure sports at the work place enhanced the young talent base for all of these sports. The development of kayaking and canoeing followed the same path (while canoeing is still not a women's sport officially). In both of these sports, the first successes of Hungary date back to the post WWII era. Our success record to date has been marked by the likes of Mrs. Jenő Pap and later Mariann Ambrus in rowing along with the Olympic, European and world champion medals obtained in kayaking by Klára Bánfalvi, Anna Pfeffer, Katalin Rozsnyói Katalin, then Éva Rakusz, Erika Géczi, Erika Mészáros, Rita Kőbán, Éva Dónusz, Kinga Czigány and today Katalin Kovács, Szilvia Szabó, Kinga Bóta and Erzsébet Viski. Traditionally, sailing has always been a favorite non-competitive sport in Hungary. As far as competitive sailing is concerned, the achievements of Hungarian women are not quite significant, at least not by international standards. Still, with a view to the extremely strong international sailing scene, even qualification for the Olympics can be regarded as a respectable achievement (Krisztina Bácsics 1992, Katalin Bácsics, 1996) Surfer Luca Gádorfalvi had to win qualification for the Sydney games in a similarly strong international competition.