With more than 100 registrations from across Europe, the 9th edition of the Planet Baltic SUP Race is set to become the biggest in the event’s history. Taking place from 5-8 August in Kołobrzeg, Poland, the race will bring together some of Europe’s top SUP talent, with athletes representing leading clubs and development programmes from across the continent.
As Poland’s longest-running ocean SUP race and one of the few remaining major sea-racing events in Northern Europe, Planet Baltic has established itself as a key fixture on the international SUP calendar. This year’s event will also host the Polish Surfing Federation (PZSurf) National SUP Championships, further raising the level of competition as Poland’s best paddlers battle for national titles alongside an international field.
Photos by Bartek Ciechacki x Wydry z Przylesia and courtesy of BassSUP
Among the strongest teams on the start line will be athletes from RTW SUP Club and BassSUP Team riders, with a number of the sport’s rising stars competing across the technical, sprint and distance disciplines, including Krystian Świerkowski, Lena Nowak, Maja Bauerek, Mikołaj Miczek, Emilia Daszewska, Jakub Kubiak, Dominik Kampczyk and Martyna Drobny.
From left: Martyna Drobny, Jakub Kubiak, Maja Bauerek and Lena Nowak | Photo courtesy of BassSUP
A long-time supporter of Planet Baltic and a committed partner in developing the next generation of Polish SUP athletes, BassSUP will also give visitors the opportunity to test a selection of its latest hard boards, including the Razor, California, and Gen Z – all designed and hand-shaped by the brand’s co-founder, Jędrzej Klafkowski.
BassSUP Founders: Małgorzata Majda and Jędrzej Klafkowski | Photo courtesy of BassSUP
Ahead of the event, we caught up with Krystian, Lena, Maja, Mikołaj and Emilia to find out more about the BassSUP gear they’ll be racing on, their preparations for Planet Baltic, and what they’re most looking forward to when they hit the Baltic Sea.
Krystian Świerkowski | Photo by Bartek Ciechacki x Wydry z Przylesia
I’ll be racing on a green California Custom 14′ × 21″ board that Jędrzej and I designed together over the winter.
What makes this board special is its true, uncompromising custom shape. While designing it, we drew on everything we learned from last season, as well as Jędrzej’s experience building boards for RTW. At 14 feet long and just 21 inches wide, it’s an incredibly fast and sleek machine, refined down to the smallest detail to perform in demanding race conditions.
Because we built it specifically around my needs and the feedback I gathered throughout last season, the board fits me perfectly. It complements my dynamic, power-based paddling style by delivering outstanding power transfer into speed, while also providing the control I need in rough water and during tight buoy turns.
The last few weeks have been all about fine-tuning my form according to the training plan my coach and I developed together. We’ve focused on combining aerobic endurance with explosiveness, including plenty of demanding interval sessions, beach-start (surf start) simulations, and practising buoy turns in challenging, choppy conditions. A key part of our preparation has been moving our training onto open water to get the best possible feel for the sea, its currents, and the waves.
I’m approaching these championships with a very competitive mindset. My goal is to give absolutely everything I have and turn all the hard work into the best result possible. The level of competition at the Polish Championships gets stronger every year, which only motivates me even more. I’m aiming to finish among the very best and fight for a place on the podium.
What I’m looking forward to most: Planet Baltic is a truly special event in our racing calendar. More than anything, I’m looking forward to the atmosphere at the start – the rush of adrenaline as we punch through the shore break – and, as always, the incredible energy of meeting our entire SUP community on the beach.
Lena Nowak | Photo courtesy of BassSUP
I paddle with the BassSUP Light Medium paddle in size M. It’s the most versatile paddle for me because I can use it on virtually any distance. It’s very comfortable and efficient, and whenever I use it, I feel completely connected to the water. I believe it helps improve the quality of my training, which has a real impact on my performance and results in competition.
My coach and I both place a lot of importance on these championships. We train twice a day, every day. Our sessions usually include endurance workouts focused on paddling technique, but we also have very intense sessions that sometimes leave me too exhausted to even walk afterwards.
I have high expectations for these races. I have specific goals in mind, but I’d rather not say them out loud just yet – I don’t want to jinx anything. I hope the races will be exciting and highly competitive. The event I’m looking forward to the most is the technical race. It’s always the most stressful for me, but that’s exactly why I love it – the adrenaline I feel during it is incredible. The long-distance race is another event I’m especially excited about because I feel it’s one of my strongest disciplines.
These championships are also something of a new experience for me, as I haven’t competed in them since 2022. I have very good memories of that event, so I hope this year’s competition will be just as successful.
Maja Bauerek | Photo courtesy of BassSUP
During the Planet Baltic SUP race and Polish Championships, I will be using the BassSUP paddle. I chose it mainly because it provides me with great comfort while paddling. It’s light, stiff, and transfers power well, which allows me to paddle smoothly and maintain a steady pace throughout the race. It works well both in races where maintaining high speed is important and on longer distances.
I mainly prepare for competitions through regular water training, working on endurance and strength, and proper recovery. I want to make the most of the time leading up to the race and be ready no matter the conditions. Expectations? Above all, I want to give 100%, enjoy the competition, and see the results of my hard work. What I look forward to the most is the opportunity to compete against the best athletes.
Mikołaj Miczek | Photo by Bartek Ciechacki x Wydry z Przylesia
I’ll be racing on my BassSUP Pike 19.5″ race board. It’s my favourite board because it was designed and built specifically for me. I truly believe it’s the perfect board for my paddling style, and I’m confident it will perform exceptionally well on the Baltic Sea.
My board and I work as one. We’ve become a single unit on the water, allowing me to paddle instinctively and efficiently.
My expectations are to paddle well, have fun and meet up with friends from Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.
Emilia Daszewska | Photo by Bartek Ciechacki x Wydry z Przylesia
At Planet Baltic, I’ll be racing on my RAZOR FAST PRO 14′ × 21″ board. It’s a fast board that cuts through the waves really well and remains stable during buoy turns, which gives me a lot of confidence on the water. I’ve already had the chance to paddle it in wave conditions. While I wouldn’t say rough water is naturally my strongest environment, I feel comfortable on this board and know I can handle those conditions well.
What makes it such a good fit for me and my paddling style is its sleek, streamlined shape and a construction that’s quite different from the many boards I’ve paddled before. It has a nicely refined nose that helps it glide efficiently through the water, and it performs exceptionally well around buoy turns. The tail is also designed differently from the previous boards I’ve used, giving it its own unique feel and performance.
As for my preparation for Planet Baltic, we’ve been in a dedicated training block for over a week now. That means more training sessions and a higher volume of kilometres both on the water and on land.
I’m hoping my form will peak at exactly the right time because I have high expectations for this event. I truly believe I’m capable of delivering a strong performance, which is why this preparation period has been so intense.
Lena Nowak and Maja Bauerek |
From left: Mikołaj Miczek, Emilia Daszewska and Krystian Świerkowski
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