Polish sailors shine in Europe and beyond

Italy has become the beating heart of the sailing world this autumn. Sardinia hosted the Formula Kite World Championships, while Trieste welcomed Europe’s top para sailors for the Hansa 303 European Championships. Soon, the global spotlight will again turn to Sardinia, as Cagliari prepares for the 49er and 49erFX World Championships, featuring a strong Polish contingent.

Kamil Kusier executive editor 07.10.2025, 08:04 Reading time: 3 min

Colourful Hansa 303 class dinghies compete in a sailing regatta at sea — fot. Robert Hajduk / PZŻ

In brief

Jan Marciniak took 7th place at the World Championships of the Olympic Formula Kite class in Sardinia, achieving his goal of finishing in the top eight. At the European Championships for sailors with disabilities in the Hansa 303 class in Trieste, Michał Dżugan won bronze in the open classification, while Olga Górnaś-Grudzień took silver among women and 6th place in the open classification. The World Championships of the 49er and 49erFX classes are starting in Cagliari and will run until 12 October, with nearly 150 crews taking part, including nine Polish teams.

Marciniak delivers in Sardinia

It was a demanding week for competitors in the Formula Kite Worlds, with wind conditions ranging from light breezes to strong, gusty weather accompanied by heavy seas. Jan Marciniak, who placed fourth at this year’s European Championships, once again demonstrated outstanding form — consistently finishing in the top ten and ultimately claiming 7th place overall.

Despite setbacks, including two capsizes and a broken bar during the penultimate qualification day, Marciniak showed composure and determination to advance into the quarterfinal stage.

- Six days of solid, consistent racing at an extremely high level — I’m very pleased with how I performed. Our season goal was a top-eight finish at the Worlds, and we’ve achieved it, Marciniak said after the regatta.

Among the women, Polish national team sailors also delivered solid performances:

13th – Izabela Satrjan (UKŻ Wiking Toruń)
17th – Julia Damasiewicz (OŚ AZS Sailing Team Poznań)
21st – Magdalena Woyciechowska (Sopocki Klub Żeglarski)

Two European medals for Poland’s para sailing team

In Trieste, Polish para sailors celebrated major success at the Hansa 303 European Championships.

Michał Dżugan claimed bronze in the Open category,
Olga Górnaś-Grudzień secured silver among women and placed 6th overall.

Strong performances also came from:

Tomasz Szychowiak – 8th (in his debut),
Andrzej Bury – 12th.

- The conditions were extremely tricky — shifting winds from 1 to 20 knots, big holes and changes up to 30 degrees. It demanded full concentration, but our sailors fought to the last meter, said Grzegorz Prokopowicz, National Para Sailing Team Coach.

For Dżugan, it was the first international medal of his career. Górnaś-Grudzień, a member of the Polish Yachting Association Board and reigning World Champion, reaffirmed her status among the sport’s elite.

49er and 49erFX worlds set to begin

Tomorrow marks the start of the 49er and 49erFX World Championships in Cagliari, running through October 12. Nearly 150 teams from around the globe will compete, including nine Polish crews.

49er class – Polish entries:

Dominik Buksak / Adam Głogowski (Centrum Żeglarskie Szczecin / Nauticus YC Olsztyn)
Mikołaj Staniul / Jakub Sztorch (KS AZS AWFiS Gdańsk)
Tytus Butowski / Borys Podumis (KS AZS AWFiS Gdańsk)
Mateusz Gwóźdź / Krzysztof Królik (YKP Gdynia / CHKŻ Chojnice)
Patryk Kosmalski / Tomasz Lewandowski (ChKŻ / KS AZS AWFiS Gdańsk)

49erFX class – Polish entries:

Aleksandra Melzacka / Sandra Jankowiak (YKP Gdynia / OŚ AZS Sailing Team Poznań)
Gabriela Czapska / Hanna Rajchert (KS Spójnia Warszawa)
Ewa Lewandowska / Anna Zwara (KS AZS AWFiS Gdańsk / MKŻ Arka Gdynia)
Klara Sobczak / Magdalena Skórnóg (ChKŻ / Nauticus YC Olsztyn)

- We’ve spent the last few days in Sardinia finalizing preparations. After a two-week training camp here, we’re well-tuned to local conditions — now it’s about perfecting the boats and focusing on racing, said Gabriela Czapska, PGE Sailing Team Poland Ambassador.

Polish Sailing on a strong upwind course

Two European medals in Hansa 303, a top-seven world finish in Formula Kite, and a record Polish presence in 49er and 49erFX classes underline the strength and depth of Polish sailing. Autumn 2025 stands as a testament to consistent progress and international competitiveness across multiple Olympic and para sailing disciplines.

Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier