Polish National Sailing Team launches 2026 campaign with extended Garmin technical partnership

The agreement ensures ongoing integration of wearable performance analytics and marine safety systems into the Olympic training structure of the Polish National Sailing Team.

International training blocks underway

The early season calendar is dominated by extended warm-weather training camps. The Formula Kite squad competed in a Test Event in Brazil before continuing preparations in Fuerteventura. iQFOiL athletes are currently training in Lanzarote, while ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and 49er sailors are racing in Vilamoura.

These blocks focus on endurance base development, technical refinement and repeatability of start procedures — performance factors critical in Olympic-class competition.

The season has already delivered a podium finish, with Filip Olszewski securing bronze at the U21 ILCA World Championship. The first major senior Olympic-class test will be the March European Championship in the 470 class.

Performance data and offshore safety integration

Under the partnership, athletes are equipped with quatix 8 and Forerunner 970 smartwatches, heart-rate monitors and marine electronics including satellite compasses and VHF 215i AIS radios installed on coach boats.

Training camps also include dedicated safety workshops using the inReach Mini 3 satellite communicator, along with navigation and cartography sessions based on Navionics products and the ActiveCaptain and Garmin Boating applications.

– The continuation of our partnership with the Polish Yachting Association for the 2026–2029 period confirms the role of our advanced technologies in the modern training process. As a Technical Partner, we are proud to support athletes in their pursuit of competing at the highest-level events. The sailors will be equipped with smartwatches enabling precise monitoring and analysis of training parameters and recovery processes. In addition to the quatix 8 and Forerunner 970 series watches, our support also includes heart rate monitors, as well as marine satellite compasses and VHF 215i AIS radios installed on coach boats to ensure reliability and safety during training sessions. During training camps, we will also conduct safety workshops using the inReach Mini 3 satellite communicator, along with training on Navionics cartography products and the ActiveCaptain and Garmin Boating applications. Our goal is not only to deliver top-tier marine technology, but also to build competencies in the conscious and effective use of data within the training process – says Jakub Szałamacha, Marketing Director Poland & Baltics, Garmin Polska.

According to Head Coach Piotr Myszka, structured data analysis plays a central role in winter preparations:

– Winter training camps are the foundation of the entire season. We focus on the quality of on-water training, the repeatability of technical elements, and load management. This is the time to build stable form ahead of the first championship races. Each session has a specific goal, and training data helps us verify whether we are achieving our objectives. Garmin watches are a valuable tool in supporting this process.

With technology, safety systems and performance analytics increasingly embedded into elite sailing structures, the extended partnership positions the Polish squad to approach the 2026 season with a data-driven and safety-focused training framework.