Strong Winds and Bright Smiles: PGE PolSailing Sets Sail for the Season in Puck
Poland’s sailing capital, Puck, played host to the official opening of the 2025 edition of PGE PolSailing – the country’s largest national sailing promotion programme. The event, dubbed the PGE PolSailing Grand Opening, marked the launch of this year’s PolSailing Day series and delivered a full day of activity, education, and family-friendly fun on the waterfront.
In brief
Puck opened this year's edition of the PGE PolSailing programme with the inauguration of the PGE PolSailing Day series, coinciding with the ILCA 4 Youth European Championships. The PolSailing zone offered sailing simulators, a DigiSail zone, a skimboard track, trickboards and educational activities. The Polish Yachting Association programme has run since 2012, and this year free classes will be held at 58 centres in 13 voivodeships in the Optimist, Windsurfing and Young Sailor blocks, with an 18-hour course for each participant. The Main Partner is the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, and the Main Sponsor is PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna.
Strategically timed to coincide with the Youth European Championships in the ILCA 4 class, the event created a dynamic interface between grassroots and elite-level sailing. The PGE PolSailing zone was located adjacent to the competition area, allowing visitors to witness Europe’s top youth sailors in action while engaging in interactive nautical experiences.
- We created a space where sailing becomes accessible and inspiring, noted Maria Ratkowska, Programme Coordinator at PGE PolSailing. - From virtual simulators and trickboards to skimboarding and digital sailing zones, the level of engagement exceeded our expectations. The enthusiasm of young participants speaks volumes about the programme’s impact.
One young participant, Hiacynta, shared her highlight of the day: “I loved the boats, the trampoline, and the drawing corner. My favourite was the game where I could steer the boat myself – it felt like a real adventure!”
Kamil Majkowski, a skimboarding coach at the event, echoed the sentiment. “When the sun came out, we had lines of eager children ready to try something new. For many, it was their first time on a skimboard, and watching them master five-metre slides within minutes was incredible.”
The event was free and open to the public, with a particular focus on youth, local families, and the broader sailing community. Organised by the Polish Yachting Association, with support from the Ministry of Sport and Tourism and lead sponsorship by PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, the programme continues to scale year-on-year.
Launched in 2012, PGE PolSailing has become Poland’s flagship youth sailing initiative. The 2025 season will see the programme implemented in 58 sailing centres across 13 provinces, offering 18 hours of structured training per participant at no cost.
Three core tracks define the programme:
- Optimist (ages 7–10),
- Windsurfing (ages 9–12),
- Young Sailor (ages 12–15), including sailing on cabin and crewed boats.
Beyond teaching sailing techniques, PolSailing introduces young participants to water safety, ecological responsibility, and the fundamentals of a healthy maritime lifestyle.
As the season unfolds, PGE PolSailing remains a leading force in shaping Poland’s next generation of sailors – not only as athletes but as informed and responsible members of the maritime community.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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