Maja Dziarnowska Finishes 7th in the World at iQFOiL World Championships
The iQFOiL World Championships in Aarhus proved to be a true test of resilience, strategy, and high-performance sailing. Among strong international competition and unpredictable wind conditions, Poland's Maja Dziarnowska (Sopocki Klub Żeglarski) secured 7th place overall – a strong result following her recent return from injury.
In brief
Maja Dziarnowska of SKŻ Sopot finished 7th overall at the iQFOiL World Championships in Aarhus, returning to competition after an injury. Maja Dziarnowska led for most of the quarterfinal, but a lack of wind on the final leg of the course cost her a chance at a medal. Among the men, Paweł Tarnowski was the highest placed in 11th, while 19-year-old Igor Lewiński finished 22nd overall and 5th in the U23 category. PZŻ head coach Piotr Myszka described the championships as one of the toughest of recent years.
- Maja delivered a great performance. She dominated most of her quarterfinal but was unlucky to fall out of the lead in the final downwind leg due to a wind hole, commented Piotr Myszka, Head Coach of the Polish Sailing Association. - Despite just missing the medal race, this is a solid result given the circumstances.
Dziarnowska only secured her place in the final stages following late-night protests that bumped her from 9th to 8th in the standings – earning a last-minute shot at the medal series. Although she didn’t advance beyond the quarterfinal, her performance showed consistency, determination, and tactical precision.
Other Polish female competitors, including Maja Kuchta, Martyna Duzowska, and Ola Wasiewicz, competed in the silver fleet, gaining valuable experience against one of the most competitive fleets in class history. Anastasiya Valkevich withdrew due to health reasons but is expected to return soon.
In the men’s fleet, Paweł Tarnowski (SKŻ Sopot) finished 11th overall. The standout performance among the Polish men came from 19-year-old Igor Lewiński (AZS AWFiS Gdańsk), who won a race and placed 22nd overall – 5th in the U23 category. Teammates Michał Polak and Dominik Lewiński followed in 32nd and 34th positions, respectively.
-The young sailors are starting to break through, said Myszka. - They’re racing without fear, pushing hard, and delivering strong results. This championship was one of the toughest in recent years – close scores, tricky weather – but overall, our team showed promise.
Next on the calendar: the U23 World Championships in September – a crucial test for Poland’s up-and-coming talent.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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