Basssup powers the Polish Team’s push at the ISA World SUP Championships in El Salvador

Basssup, the premium Polish watersport brand launched in 2016 as an inflatable SUP board company, has been a fundamental part of building the country’s SUP scene from its very beginning. So, it felt only natural for them to get involved in supporting and developing young SUP athletes.

They’ve been equipping the youth with high-performance, custom-made gear and taking an active role in events across Poland and Europe. It’s no surprise, then, that they’re also backing the world championship dreams of selected riders. When the short-notice announcement came, they jumped at the opportunity — even dedicating a portion of their board sales to help send young talent to the season’s most important international events.

We sat down with the brand’s founders, Małgorzata Majda (iSUP division) and Jędrzej Klafkowski (Shaper / Race division), to talk about the upcoming world SUP championships.

Jędrzej is also closely connected with the Polish Surfing Association (Polski Związek Surfingu), where he serves as head of the SUP committee. This decision further strengthens his commitment to growing the sport through ISA Surfing and translating that progress onto the Polish SUP scene.

Hi Małgosia and Jędrzej, welcome back to TotalSUP! The ISA World SUP Championships were announced quite late – what led to the decision to take part despite that?

Małgorzata Majda: Well, surfers aren’t exactly known for rushing, for them, time flows differently, as if from wave to wave. On a serious note, we simply couldn’t imagine that ISA wouldn’t organise the World Championships, since they’ve been held every year since 2012 in Peru. The Racibórz SUP Club (RTW) athletes have worked hard all season, so they’re always ready to compete against the world’s best.

And since the ISA is our parent SUP federation, of course, we’re happy to support starts in ICF events, but we can’t imagine not being there with the Racibórz SUP Club (RTW) at what, for us, are the most important championships.

Besides, only one athlete – Emilia Daszewska (RTW / Bass Team) – was nominated to the National Team by the Polish Canoe Federation (PZKaj) for the World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

Basssup Team Rider Emilia Daszewska

Meanwhile, the Polish Surfing Association (PZS), by nominating three of our RTW riders – Jakub Kubiak, Krystian Świerkowski and Mikołaj Miczek – to the Polish National Team for the ISA Worlds, made it possible for all Bass Team riders from RTW to fight for their biggest dreams. So how could we say no? We didn’t hesitate for even five minutes!

From left: Krystian Świerkowski, Jakub Kubiak and Mikołaj Miczek

Jędrzej Klafkowski:  Not all athletes in Poland who should have gone received nominations from the Polish Canoe Federation (PZKaj). When the opportunity arose to go to the ISA World SUP Championships – an organisation that has always been and will remain close to my heart – we made a spontaneous decision, after receiving the necessary approvals, to send our athletes.

The main goal was for them to gain new skills, have a great adventure and feel even more motivated in the future to achieve top results and pursue their goals. We expect nothing as supporters, we simply want them to be there, to face the challenge, and to return with that experience in their hearts and minds.

What does supporting young athletes at international events like the ISA World SUP Championships mean to you?

Małgorzata Majda: We come from Poland, where – without going into too much detail – the “political” situation of the SUP sport is extremely complicated, which unfortunately hinders its development. That’s why supporting young athletes who, by growing and improving, will help SUP grow in our country, is our priority.

It’s harsh but true that youth categories are less “spectacular” than the Open division and are often overlooked by the biggest brands. That’s why we’re here — to help them mature and begin their professional sporting journeys.

Today’s youth are demanding partners, so it’s not easy. But the SUP Bass Team, always known to us as the Dream Team, brings together carefully chosen athletes — maybe not a large group, but a real Bass family built on shared values. We support them without hesitation, and now, as we help them fulfill their biggest dream – taking part in the ISA World Championships – we’re deeply moved.

Jędrzej Klafkowski: When it comes to supporting athletes, it comes purely from the heart, because we don’t really exist yet in the commercial world of performance or race boards  – we’re slowly building all of that. It’s part of our journey and our passion.

Supporting young athletes is exactly the same, it’s driven by our love for the sport and the discipline itself. And because of the position we’re in, we have the opportunity to support these athletes, which feels completely natural to us.

We’re building a great Bass family, a strong team and I believe that in the coming years you’ll be hearing a lot more about it.

What makes the equipment your athletes use stand out, and how does it help them achieve top results in challenging race conditions?

Małgorzata Majda: Here, our shaper Jędrek has probably said it all at 200%! I’ll just add that what truly sets us apart is the personalisation of each board – none of them just roll off a production line somewhere in distant Asia. Every board is built from start to finish in Poland, in Europe, handcrafted by Jędrzej himself.

Jędrzej Klafkowski:  The equipment our athletes compete on – like everything we do – comes from a passion for SUP. I make the boards by hand, and I’m deeply connected to that process; I feel every part of it very strongly.

I believe our equipment, handcrafted from the best materials and based on well-thought-out designs, can give the kids an extra bit of support – but ultimately, it all depends on them. As I always say, it’s not the board that wins races, it’s the athletes – we just try to help a little in the tough conditions they’ll face out there.

We’ve got a great Gen Z board, which should perform beautifully in the waves, and the California model, which should give the guys an edge on flat, long-distance courses. But in the end, it’s all up to them.

You’ll also be there on site! What emotions do you experience when watching your young ambassadors represent the brand on the world stage?

Małgorzata Majda: Each of us experiences it differently, I cheer for everyone, yelling my heart out the whole time! And I always think: how tough you must be to stand up and compete against the best. I envy them their strength and courage, and no matter the result, I deeply admire the fact that they’re willing to take on the challenge. I really hope that next year, I’ll be able to tell you how it felt when our Team Riders reach for their own – I mean, for the gold 😁

Jędrzej Klafkowski:   At first, we didn’t plan to be there in person, and for now, the travel costs for four athletes are quite substantial – that was really the priority: getting them and the boards there, and making sure they have time to get used to the conditions on site.

That said, we follow every international event closely, we watch the live streams, and I can easily spend the whole day doing so, often listening to Mathieu (Mr TotalSUP!) and admiring how much insight he shares. I get completely caught up in it – I feel those emotions deeply, and that connection is what keeps me motivated to keep doing what I do.

To find out more about Basssup, visit basssup.com

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