BassSUP x King of the Bay: A high‑voltage alliance at Poland’s hottest multi‑watersport festival

When you think of the King of the Bay (KOTB) festival, it brings to mind the vibe of Poland’s Open’er Festival – a grassroots idea that grew into a globally recognised music phenomenon. The founders of festival seem to share that same ambition: to build something local in origin, but world-class in reach.

Held on 4-7 June, this mass-start, multi-sport open-sea festival brings pros and amateurs together on a single starting line across SUP, kite, and wind disciplines, creating a Baltic blend of speed, endurance, and community energy. Held annually in Rewa on the Bay of Puck, it has quickly grown into one of Europe’s most dynamic open-water events.

Ahead of its third edition, we caught up with Anna Sokolenko – born in Cherkasy, Ukraine, now based in Poland – model, surfer, and co-founder of King of the Bay.

We also spoke with Małgosia Majda, co-founder and driving force behind Basssup’s inflatable SUP (iSUP) division – the premium SUP brand founded by Majda and Jędrzej Klafkowski in 2016. Now nearly synonymous with the growth of the discipline in Poland, BassSup has long been a supporter of King of the Bay.

Jędrzej Klafkowski & Małgosia Majda of BassSUP and Yehor Tarasko | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

In chat with Anna Sokolenko of King of the Bay Festival: 

Hi Anna, welcome to TotalSUP! Where did the idea for creating King of the Bay come from – a multisport festival combining windsurfing, kite, wing, and SUP?

The idea for the festival came from Maciek Rutkowski*, who has lived and breathed water sports for years. Traveling the world, he had the chance to experience a wide range of events – from major international competitions to smaller local festivals with an incredible vibe.

At some point, the thought emerged: what if you could take the best of all of them – competition, community, a laid-back spirit, and atmosphere – and bring it together into one big festival in Poland?

That’s how King of the Bay was born – as a fusion of sport, people, and lifestyle. And on top of that, Maciek has ADHD, so the festival is a perfect reflection of his “state of mind” – in the best possible sense of the phrase.

Maciej Rutkowski and Anna Sokolenko, Founders of the King of the Bay

You come from a strong windsurfing background (Maciej Rutkowski is a World Champion and multiple-time Polish Champion). How has that experience influenced the organization of the festival and the choice of competition format?

Maciek’s experience as a top-level athlete has had a huge influence on what King of the Bay looks like today.

First and foremost, we know what athletes expect – not just in terms of competition, but also logistics, communication, and the overall atmosphere on site. Our approach is simple: we create the kind of festival we’d want to attend ourselves, so we put our whole selves into it.

On top of that, Maciek has ADHD, which is where the wide range of attractions and activities comes from. That’s why the competition format is dynamic, well thought-out, and focused on maximising the fun of being on the water – not just the result. Our goal is for everyone – regardless of level – to feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Maciej Rutkowski with the windsurfing OG Björn Dunkerbeck

The previous edition attracted over 400 athletes from 12 countries – the vibe feels like a mix between the legendary O’pen Era and the Hood River Gorge Challenge 😊 What’s the “secret sauce” of your event that makes it so unique?

It’s a combination of several things:

• Openness – both pros and amateurs compete
• Variety of sports – there’s something for everyone
• Community – people come not only to race, but also to connect and spend time together

On top of that, there’s the location, the vibe of Rewa, and the fact that everything happens in one place – on the water and right next to it.
This isn’t just a sporting event – it’s an experience people want to come back to.

An interesting detail is that in the first year, hardly anyone partied in the evening tent. Instead, we gave people the chance to meet and talk about what they love and what truly connects them. In a world that moves so fast, we create space to come together in an environment we all know and love.

How does the presence of SUP influence the character and atmosphere of the festival, and why was it important for you to include it?

SUP really opens the festival up to new people, while also giving them a chance to test themselves. One of SUP’s advantages at our event is that it doesn’t depend on wind.

More than once, athletes from other disciplines have jumped into the long-distance SUP race just to a) test themselves, and b) avoid sitting bored on the beach.

It’s one of the most accessible disciplines – you can try it almost immediately, without much experience. That’s why King of the Bay isn’t just for “hardcore” riders, but for a much broader group of people. SUP also brings a different vibe – more relaxed, more fun and laid-back – which balances perfectly with more technical disciplines like windsurfing or wing.

Can you tell us how your collaboration with BassSUP began?

The first edition of the festival was largely built on Maciek’s relationships and contacts. The water sports world is relatively small, so often one phone call is enough.

That was the case here as well – from the very first conversation, it was clear we were on the same wavelength and wanted to create something meaningful together. Trust is crucial in situations like this, and BassSUP showed that trust during the first edition—now we’re already in our third year together.

We truly appreciate their contribution to the festival, and we also want to support what’s ours – what’s Polish. Around the world, every nation takes pride in what is produced locally, and that’s exactly how we feel too.

How does BassSUP fit into the DNA of the festival – from equipment and athlete participation to building the SUP community?

BassSUP fits perfectly with what King of the Bay is all about – both in terms of equipment and its approach to people.

It’s not just a brand, but also a community and an energy that stands behind SUP. Thanks to them, we can develop this part of the festival, attract new participants, and build an even more open atmosphere.

Their presence reinforces the idea that anyone can step into the world of water sports – regardless of their level. The range of equipment Bass offers is truly on par with many global brands, and the custom hard boards ridden by the youth from RTW Racibórz SUP Club are something many people dream of. On top of that, BassSUP brings added value through SUP freestyle coaching with Yehor Tarasko.

Yehor Tarasko | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

King of the Bay in three words…?

Community. Emotions. Water.

From left: Yehor Tarasko with Małgosia Majda

In chat with Małgosia Majda, Co-Founder and the driving force behind the brand’s inflatable SUP (iSUP) division:

Hi Małgosia, welcome back to TotalSUP! What made King of the Bay a natural partner for BassSUP – is it more about shared values, the community, or the multi-discipline format?

It all started with a love for the water and a lifestyle aligned with its rhythm. It’s been almost three years now since Jędrek (Klafkowski, Co-Founder and shaper at BassSUP) received a call from Maciek Rutkowski.

Both we and Maciek with Ania were sitting on our terraces, soaking up the sun – it was the end of winter 2023. As it turned out, we were separated by Gibraltar and a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean, yet connected by the shared desire to get on the water despite the season. Maciek and Ania followed the wind and waves to Tenerife, while we headed towards calmer seas, still touched by Atlantic swells.

Could anything have brought us together more naturally than shared values? In this natural, heart-led way, we became involved in the first edition of King of The Bay, whose multi-discipline format captivated us from the very beginning. We simply love “people of the water,” no matter how they choose to engage with it. We believe that water, as an element, teaches humility and helps people see the world more clearly – it makes us better.

After the very first edition, we knew we wanted to be part of this event – both a sporting challenge and a lifestyle experience.

How does collaborating with an event that combines SUP, foil, wing, and kite fit into BassSUP’s long-term brand development strategy?

Well, everyone knows that SUP is closest to our hearts, so our thoughts naturally focus first on this discipline – developing it and building both a Polish and an international community.

Although the current competition format is dominated by long-distance racing across the bay on touring, carbon, and inflatable SUP boards, we see strong potential to expand KOTB with downwind SUP foil races, which are gaining huge popularity worldwide. In Poland, for now, only KOTB – held on Puck Bay between Hel and Rewa – offers the right conditions for this type of racing.

Since the very first edition, together with Yehor Tarasko, a pioneer of SUP freestyle in Europe, we’ve been introducing and teaching the basics of this discipline to interested participants. In our view, SUP freestyle is not just a separate category – it’s a foundation of skills that supports every SUP racer.

Wing foiling is also very attractive from a development perspective for Bass, bringing together many participants and world-class athletes at KOTB. We hope that this year and the coming seasons will drive growth in the custom, hand-built wing foil boards produced in Poland by Jędrek.

Supporting and collaborating with a multi-sport event like this provides the ideal platform for us to grow both the sport and the BassSUP brand.

Krystian Świerkowski | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

What emotions or values associated with King of the Bay best reflect the character of the BassSUP brand?

What aligns most closely with us and the Bass philosophy is building a community rooted in shared, timeless values shaped through individual effort and dedication, simply through sport.

Right alongside the community stands the discipline of SUP itself, whose development in Poland has been, and continues to be, just as important to us for the past 10 years. Now it feels even more significant, as Poland – especially young athletes from the RTW Racibórz SUP Club – is achieving success on the world stage.

We want our country to become even more recognised globally, and for our athletes to compete at the highest international level. That’s why we warmly invite SUP athletes from around the world – KOTB is a unique place where, on one side of the Rewa Headland, you have windy, open-water conditions perfect for downwind and technical SUP, while on the other side there’s calm, glassy water ideal for sprint racing or learning SUP freestyle.

And the truth is, the greatest emotions always come when we watch your sporting battles unfold. So please – bring them to us in abundance again this year.

Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

Which BassSUP models will we see at King of the Bay this year, and which members of the team will be at the start line and in the demo zone?

KOTB will be the second stop of the 2026 Bass Demo Tour, where we’ll present all the new releases for the 2026 season.

As befits an anniversary collection, we’re going big. For our 10-year anniversary, we’ve prepared a limited collection of inflatable SUP boards featuring a special birthday Bass logo. This year only, all inflatable Bass boards will feature the old-school “Fish in Headphones” graphic that was with us during the first five years of the brand.

Of course, we’ll bring the full range to KOTB, including your favourite touring boards: the women’s longboard-shaped Mimosa 11’1”, the Twin SR 12’2” (surf & race), and the touring-focused Morning Star 13’3”. A must-have are the Dragon 14” race boards – despite being inflatable, they boldly compete with hard boards. It was on these “dragons” that SUP Bass Team riders Aleksandra Stańczak and Yehor Tarasko claimed the King and Queen of the Bay titles at KOTB.

Aleksandra Stańczak | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

And we know they’re aiming to hold onto that crown for another year. This season, the “dragon” will also be ridden at the start by Krumlovský Vodácký Marathon silver medallist Natalia Bartosiewicz.

The anniversary collection will be expanded with three new inflatable SUP models. And since we have the chance to share it here—we can reveal that these will include a freestyle SUP board, a whitewater board, and one designed for a growing trend: paddling with your “2+ dog” crew.

The cherry on top is this year’s collection of carbon race boards, handcrafted by Bass founder and shaper Jędrzej. At KOTB, in the battle for the King and Queen of the Bay titles, you’ll see the California and Gen Z (both refreshed), as well as a brand-new model: the Razor Fast Pro.

These boards – both standard and custom versions – will be ridden throughout the season, including at KOTB, by BassSUP Team athletes from the RTW Racibórz SUP Club: Emilia Daszewska, Mikołaj Miczek, Jakub Kubiak, and Krystian Świerkowski. And that’s not all—come to KOTB and see for yourself who else has joined our Bass-powered crew and who’s switched to what.

As always, the test zone at KOTB will be bursting with signature BassSUP orange energy – in seriously impressive volume.

Emilia Daszewska | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

To find out more about Basssup, visit basssup.com

Follow Basssup on Facebook and Instagram 

Find out more about the King of the Bay Festival

Follow Anna Sokolenko and Maciej Rutkowski on Instagram

*Maciej Rutkowski, windsurfing World Champion and multiple-time Polish Champion, is known for pushing the limits of the sport. Among his standout projects is “Misja Bałtyk”, in which he windsurfed over 200 km across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland on foil gear – a Guinness World Record–recognised feat that also raised funds for charity.