VIDEO - Maria Erdi, Hungary's Rising Star

Hungary’s Maria Erdi is one of the hottest prospects in youth sailing today and wherever she goes, success follows.

This success is evident around Maria Erdi’s family household. Head to the piano in the kitchen/diner and you’ll see a line of trophies that includes Byte CII World Championship and Laser Radial Youth World Championship silverware. Venture to Maria and her sisters study room and a Youth Olympic Games flag occupies some wall space next to homemade Olympic rings with motivational notes dotted around the room. Move down to Maria’s father’s office and further imagery and trophies can be found.

How do we know that you may ask? Well World Sailing TV were given exclusive access to Maria and the Erdi family following the Youth Worlds Emerging Nations Program in Balatonfured, Hungary. We obtained a special insight into the rising stars life, meeting the people who are closest to her.

We also sat down with Maria ahead of her representing her nation on the biggest stage of all for a youth sailor – the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship that is scheduled to take place in Langkawi, Malaysia from 27 December to 3 January.

The six minute video can be viewed below:
 

 
Snapshots – what they said:

Maria Erdi, “My goal is to qualify for the Olympic Games, to Rio maybe if I can but I’m not disappointed if I, I don’t qualify but I want to qualify to Tokyo. To qualify for Tokyo I will need to work a lot and sail a lot and I will just keep that in focus and I think it will work. I will do my best if I get there, it’s still so far that I don’t know how I’m going to finish or what to expect so I will just work hard and we will see.”

Gabor Erdi (Maria’s father), “In 2004 we moved down to Lake Balaton and they [Erdi children] started to attend the primary school in Tihany which is a peninsular on Balaton Lake. The school and the local club had a co-operation where local kids could go down twice a week in the afternoon for a sailing session and this is how all my daughters started sailing in this club.

“Maria was the only one who stayed there and continued her career in sailing.”

Tamas Eszes (Maria’s coach), “I think is another important thing to set the goals up at an early age because they have to know where they are starting and where they are going.  The goal has to always be realistic and set by the kids and this goal can be made a long term goal with short term goals for each year. These goals have to be about sailing but also, lifestyle goals as well as these two go together to make a sailor good.

“They don’t need to reach all the goals every year but more than 50% of the goal has been made and that keeps young sailors happy and I think at this young age if they’re happy they will continue.”

ISAF Youth Worlds

Langkawi, Malaysia is hosting the 45th edition of the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships from 27 December to 3 January 2016. More than 380 sailors from 80 sailing in more than 300 boats across nine disciplines will compete in Malaysia.

Website – www.isafyouthworlds.com/home.php