Basssup Founder & Shaper Jędrzej Klafkowski: Turning a Personal Challenge into Poland’s leading SUP Brand

Basssup, the premium Polish watersport brand launched in 2016 as an inflatable SUP board company, has become a cornerstone of the Polish SUP scene, nearly synonymous with the sport’s growth in the country. Over the years, it has evolved, with the Founder, Jędrzej Klafkowski, dedicating significant time in the studio shaping race, SUP surf, foil boards and developing high performance paddles.

Committed from the start to supporting the SUP community in Poland and advancing the competitive side of the sport by organising many competitions in the country, including amateur Bass League competitions and Polish Championships, the Basssup Team has recently welcomed some of the most promising SUP athletes, further solidifying its reputation as an engaged and forward-thinking brand.

TotalSUP sat down with Jędrzej, the Founder and Shaper of Basssup, to explore how the brand’s creation is deeply intertwined with his personal journey of overcoming obstacles through his passion for the sport.

Welcome to TotalSUP, Jędrzej! How did SUP come into your life?

It all started with a life-changing accident, unrelated to sports, but tragically impactful for me—in short, over 100 fractures all over my body… And the medical diagnosis was that I wouldn’t be able to walk normally again, maybe a little with the help of crutches, but never normally. That’s when I discovered SUP. I bought a board – there were only a few in Poland at the time… And that’s how it began 😊. Thanks to SUP, I even started running again and regained my mobility. I fell in love with this sport completely.

Photo by Bartek Ciechacki

How was the Basssup brand created?

The Basssup brand was born when I discovered that SUP can improve anyone’s life. Being involved in a completely different industry, I decided to establish the Basssup brand. We wanted to create a premium product of the highest quality at affordable prices. And that’s how it all started – It’s been already nine  years of this amazing adventure.

When did you notice the potential of SUP as a sport in Poland?

I noticed the potential of SUP as a sport at the very beginning of my work. It’s a sport that can easily be made popular and accessible to everyone. Poles love water, kayaking, and anything that floats. I didn’t expect at the time that the competitive history of SUP would become so complicated in the future. The Basssup brand began its journey with inflatable SUP boards, and in 2016, we introduced our first products to the Polish market.

What can we find in Basssup fleet?

Premium-class inflatable SUP boards (but at prices tailored to the real possibilities of consumers), hand-made carbon boards crafted in Poland, including SUP race boards, SUP surfboards, longboards, wing race boards, wing downwind boards, wing freeride boards, excellent carbon paddles made from prepreg, and many other great products.

The SUP market today… What are your observations regarding the market in Poland and abroad?

The work is becoming increasingly difficult. The markets are saturated with cheap and not necessarily durable products. There is a lot of competition and a wide availability of products, with social media taking on the role of sales channels. It’s worth checking whether the people behind a particular brand are passionate about the discipline, or if it’s just a product for sale. At Basssup, there’s a person behind every board who puts in tremendous effort to tailor the product to the needs and requirements of future users. We choose the best materials for production, design the shape of the boards with great care, use the highest technologies, and include top-quality accessories. We test everything ourselves to ensure that you can trust us.

How did your journey as a shaper begin?

It was by chance, I would have never imagined it for myself. Although my father once built an ocean-going yacht, and I assisted him when I was 5 years old, I don’t remember much from that though. I really wanted to produce hard boards from the very start of my business, but in Poland, not like everyone else in Asia. I had some contacts in companies working with composites, and I managed to land a contract to produce boards for a foreign company in Poland. I failed completely because I knew very little about it, but from the beginning, I was personally involved in trying to make them. It didn’t work out, but I was left with some styrofoam and a sheet of notes on how the technology works, along with some resin and carbon material.

I took all that to my garage and made my first board… then another, and another, and slowly they got better and better, and my brain’s synapses began to connect all the previously unknown aspects of the process. Now, not only do I make boards, but I’m also aiming high for a world championship medal. The first time one of my boards was used in a race was by Hanna Leni Krach in Gdynia (she’s currently on maternity leave 😊), but she will return to finish our story. This year, you’ll also see Kasia Zarębik – keep your fingers crossed, she’s an amazing athlete!

Are custom boards the future? And what’s in the works? You mentioned that you’re working on an off-the-shelf line.

In my opinion, they are definitely a better choice for athletes. Everyone is different, unique… and their board should be too. It should look just as they dreamed it would, and it should fit like a tailored suit in terms of volume and dimensions 😊. It’s a great adventure to be part of creating your dream board.

Jedrzej dropping off custom California race board | Photo by Bartek Ciechacki

Yes, I’m working on—and actually already introducing—a line of California boards for sale. These include two models of Race All Water, a longboard wave SUP, and a downwind SUP foil board. All the boards will come in Lava Orange with a black stripe and white bottom, and they will be available in our store off-the-shelf. Of course, the option to order a custom board will remain available. All the boards are made in Poland, and I make them by hand, all by myself 😊. In my opinion, they are a great alternative to the mass-produced products available on the market.

Kasia Zarembik has just joined the Bass Team—congratulations! Could you tell us about this collaboration?

Yes, we finally have a Polish athlete who will surprise you all more than once. She is hardworking, diligent, humble, and incredibly fast over long distances. She comes from Racibórz and is a member of the RTW Racibórz Club. She paddles on the California custom board (tailored to her needs) measuring 14×21.5x256L.

What is Basssup’s position on the Polish SUP scene? Are you involved in events and competitions?

From the very beginning, we have been here to develop SUP in Poland. We have been the organizers of many competitions in Poland, including Polish Championships, amateur Bass League competitions, and many others. We support and are actively involved in unifying the SUP community in Poland.

Basssup at the King of the Bay event | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

Our greatest achievement is facilitating an agreement that led to the establishment of a single entity, the SUP Sports Association, which is responsible for the discipline in Poland. This entity is supported by and has the authority to operate within the discipline from both international federations, ICF and ISA.

Basssup Team at the King of the Bay event | From left: Yehor Tarasko (Team Rider), Małgorzata Majda (The Brain behind Basssup) and Jerzy Tosik (Team Rider) | Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

What are your plans? Bass is making a big entrance onto the international scene…

Not to change 😊, to continue making top quality products while staying true to our motto: Bass Technology – Quality & Trust.

Photo by Wydry z Przylesia

Thank you for your time and we’re looking forward to meeting you in person in the near future!

To find out more about Basssup, visit basssup.com

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*Images courtesy of Basssup

Anna Nadolna

Anna is the Founder of SUPer Whale, a Cambridge(UK!)-based emerging watersports brand and a stand-up paddleboarding community. She is a certified SUP Flat Water Instructor accredited by International Surfing Association (ISA). Anna is also a digital marketing, storytelling aficionado and a growth hacking enthusiast.

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