2015. 05. 16..

With the support of Colas Alterra, the Bridge Builders’ Society held the third annual Bridge Builders’ Day on 16 May, the feast day of Saint John of Nepomuk, patron saint of rivers, bridges, and mariners.

Programmes began in the morning outside of Óbuda’s Saint Peter and Paul Parish Church, where the renovated Saint John of Nepomuk statue was revealed.

Subsequently, the “armada” of kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and dragon boats set off from the UTE sport club’s facility near the Árpád Bridge, escorted by a vessel of the Hungarian Armed Forces with the event’s VIP guests on board. Each 10- or 20-strong team of paddlers was made up of both professional dragon boaters and representatives from partners of the event, including Colas. Once the parade ended, a dragon boat race took place in Lágymányos Bay, where the Colas team – Lilla Benes, Enikő Szabó, Lilla Gasparik, Árpád Bartha, and Gábor Szakács-Fehérváry – managed to clinch the runner-up spot. Naturally, the excellent result is mostly owed to members of the LapáTolók SE dragon boat team: Éva Berekalli, Nóri Eged, Márta Dudás, Ádám Láng, István Gál, and the “skipper”, Tamás Kiss. Thanks for the help!

Following the race, Budapest deputy mayor Dr. Balázs Szeneczey greeted the guests, who were awaited by a series of colourful programmes: a LEGO-robot demonstration and pasta-bridge building event by students of the Óbuda University, and a guided tour of closed parts of the Petőfi Bridge, otherwise open only to the bridge keeper.

While visitors constructed bridges from plastic bottles, wood, or paper, mixed teams uniting technical supervisors, clients, contractors, and partner companies had to build 9-metre bridges from shipping pallets suitable for all team members to cross.

As for 2016, we hope we will have another chance to be a part of the spectacular water festival and the increasingly popular family programmes.