Planet Baltic SUP Race 2024 Revealed: Big thrills, spills and shake-ups

Photo by Robert Hajduk

With a meticulously curated agenda, exciting announcements and international athletes already confirming their attendance, Planet Baltic SUP Race 2024, Poland’s longest running open sea SUP race event held on 2-4 August in Kołobrzeg, emerges as a prominent stop on the SUP racing circuit.

It’s location and timing couldn’t be better either (held on the often unforgiving Baltic Sea, shortly before Skrea Strand Paddlerace in Sweden, followed by the ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship in Copenhagen), adding a new dimension to the event’s international allure and positioning Planet Baltic SUP Race as a solid testing ground for athletes from around the world.

Marcin Koc (middle) with Mikołaj Majdan and Marta Apanasewicz | Photo by Robert Hajduk

TotalSUP caught up with Marcin Koc, CEO, Founder and Race Director, who’s got all the details:

We’ll be meeting meet on the Kołobrzeg beach for the 7th time, standing shoulder to shoulder on the start line of the Planet Baltic SUP Race™ 2024. This year, after a fantastic 2023 edition, we have prepared some novelties that we hope will win the appreciation of our athletes. We are not afraid of challenges, so the first change will be the prologue of the sprint races.

Kolobrzeg, Poland | Photo by Robert Hajduk

For the first time Kołobrzeg is going to be the stop of the National Cup: Planet Baltic SUP Race^TM 2024 has been announced the maritime stop of the Czech SUP Cup, coordinated by the Czech Federation ČFSAS. Czechs were the largest group of international athletes their participation added significant value to the competition and contributed to the excitement of the event.

We will offer the competitors a new formula according to which they will race alone against the clock and on this basis we will select groups classified according to this formula. A bit scary? No, because we give you a chance to participate from the last place all the way to the podium. More information can be found in the Notice of Race available to everyone on Planet Baltic website.

Photo by Robert Hajduk

Another change will be the joint start of participants of all age categories and genders from the centre of the Kołobrzeg port. Hmm, kids with adults? Yes! But with three different starting lines! As a result (as we checked last year), everyone will meet at the exit of the Port of Kołobrzeg, at the height of the lighthouse.

Photo by Robert Hajduk

There is no better place to promote our sport discipline in one of the largest sea resorts in Poland. This year’s Planet Baltic SUP Race™ has been given a 3-day format, which will allow us to better manage the time and effort of the competitors.

Photo by Robert Hajduk

We know how much effort it takes to take part in individual races, so we want the participants of our competitions to be in top form for the duration of the event. This edition will be exciting in one more respect. During our competition, we choose a male and female athlete for the Most Valuable Paddler Title.

Małgorzata Cieplińska has defended this title 3 times and is the undisputed Queen of MVP PBSR™. On the other hand, Marta Apanasewicz has already collected two titles and this year she will have a chance to equal Gosia’s record. When it comes to men, Mikołaj Majdan has two MVP titles to his name. Last year, we witnessed a fierce battle between Mikołaj and Linus Karlsson (Sweden), so we can’t wait to see how it pans out this year! Guess we’ll know the answer on the 5th of August 🙂

Planet Baltic SUP Race: Mikołaj Majdan and Linus Karlsson | Photo by Robert Hajduk

For dessert, after three days of SUP battles on the beach, we have prepared the first marathon called Parseta River Trophy. Two long distances of 23 and 43 km held on Monday, 5 August,  will conclude the great SUP celebration, which for 7 years has been attracting supporters, competitors and fans of our discipline to Kołobrzeg, one of the most beautiful places on the Baltic coast.

Planet Baltic SUP Race 2024: What’s new?

National CUP: Planet Baltic SUP Race^TM 2024 has been announced the maritime stop of the Czech SUP Cup, coordinated by the Czech Federation ČFSAS. Czechs were the largest group of international athletes last year and their participation added significant value to t

Downwind racing on hydrofoils: Planet Baltic SUP Race 2024 is introducing the trial of downwind racing on hydrofoils. It’s most likely the first time this race format will be introduce in this part of Europe and Kołobrzeg has ideal conditions for racing on a hydrofoil. The organisers are planning a 500m sprint, and if the conditions allow and there will be a 2-4km Foil Long Distance race.

New age categories: The organisers want to cater to paddlers of all ages and are introducing two new age categories: Under 15 (U15) and 50+ (GM50). On the condition that there will be five  participants competing.

Photo by Robert Hajduk

Three different fee levels: Early bird tickets 85 € till 2 July; 125 € between 3-28 July and 165 € from 29 July.

New sprint format with an individual time prologue: Think Tour de France! With start and finish on the beach, paddlers will start one by one every 20-30 seconds when the course is “clear”. The results of the prologue will determine the division into groups of 8 or 10 people in the second series, which is conducted in a traditional way.

Photo by Robert Hajduk

MINI course introduced in Long Distance: There will be two lengths of the LD course at sea, full one of 9km and shorten on 4km (called MINI) for those who don’t want to participate in the full-length LD. There will be an additional starting line for MINI who will lead the PBSR^TM peloton. They will be followed by women and then by men from the third starting line. In case of difficult weather conditions on the sea and to ensure safety, the organisers have prepared a surprise. The race will be relocated to the Parsęta River

Electronic time measurement: Each starter pack will include a leg band with 3 chips and starting bib.

Photo by Robert Hajduk

To find out more about the event and register, visit planetbaltic.pl

Follow Planet Baltic on social media – Facebook, Instagram and YouTube 

*Images courtesy of Planet Baltic SUP Race; Photography by Roberta Hajduk

Planet Baltic SUP Race 2024 is sponsored and supported by Anna Mieczkowska the President of City Kołobrzeg (Patronage); Olgierd Geblewicz, Marshal of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Honorary Patronage); GGerlach – Polish Watches (Most Valuable Player Patronage); Signateq (Sprint Race Partner); Ineos Grenadier – Car Dealership (Long Distance Race Partner); Abades; Krówka Kołobrzeska; Moose Bags; Hydrosfera; Miejski Ośrodek Sportu i Rekreacji w Kołobrzegu; and Zarząd Portu Morskiego Kołobrzeg Sp. z o.o.