Tomasz Holc appointed new president of the Polish Yachting Association

Tomasz Holc z prawej prezesem Polskiego Związku Żeglarskiego | fot. Krzysztof Andrzejewski

- I feel a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to hard work. This strong vote of confidence is highly motivating, said the newly elected President. - My first priority will be to get to know the office team, understand the challenges we face, and build strong relationships with our national team athletes and coaches, Holc added.

The Assembly was opened by acting PYA President Katarzyna Domańska, who welcomed the gathered delegates and guests. Throughout the event, key decisions were made, including the conferment of Honorary Membership of the PYA to Marek Berkowski, Stefan Heinrich, Karol Jabłoński, Janusz Szlachetka, Janusz Marek Taber, and Andrzej Weber. Commemorative medals marking the 100th anniversary of the PYA, Medals for Outstanding Service to Polish Sailing, Honorary Badges of Merit, and the “Blue Spinnaker” awards were presented. A symbolic moment of silence was observed in memory of sailors who passed away since the last assembly.

Tomasz Chamera, who led the Association for the past eight years, reflected on his term by emphasizing the PYA’s dynamic growth:

- We’ve built a strong position for the PYA both nationally and internationally. We've become an organization that doesn’t just manage but also inspires and creates the conditions for ambitious projects, Chamera noted.

He expressed special thanks to Katarzyna Domańska for stepping in as acting President for six weeks. Domańska, in turn, acknowledged the dedication of the office staff, especially thanking Director Ewelina Albrecht-Ziaja.

Delegates unanimously granted discharge to the outgoing PYA Board and approved the 2024 activity and financial reports. They also adopted amendments to the Statutes and confirmed the structure of the new Board, which will include three Vice Presidents and 15 members.

New Vice Presidents of the PYA:

• Katarzyna Domańska – Vice President for Training
• Tomasz Figlerowicz – Vice President for Sport
• Jarosław Bazylko – Vice President for Tourism

Other Key Roles:

• Secretary General – Marek Stawiszyński
• Treasurer – Maksymilian Paśko

New Board Members:

Wojciech Frączak, Olga Górnaś-Grudzień, Andrzej Czapski, Anna Rakowska, Barbara Radkiewicz, Jacek Klimecki, Hanna Kajeta, Paweł Czuba, and Sebastian Wójcikowski.

Significantly, the new Board includes five women—a notable step forward in promoting diversity and representation within the Association’s leadership.

- I’m honored to have received such strong support, even though I hadn’t initially planned to join the Board. I was encouraged to do so in order to help promote sailing for athletes with disabilities and to work with the Board to bring sailing back into the Paralympic program, said Olga Górnaś-Grudzień, who just two weeks ago became the world champion in para sailing.

The Assembly also elected members to other PYA governing bodies, including the Audit Committee, the Disciplinary Court, and the Statutory Committee.

Who is Tomasz Holc? From Olympic Regattas to the Polish Parliament and back to sailing leadership

Born on June 6, 1947, in Warsaw, Tomasz Holc is a Polish politician, manager, competitive sailor, and sailing official. A former Olympian and Member of Parliament (1st term), Holc has long combined sport, public service, and leadership.

As an athlete, Holc achieved significant success. In 1963, he won a silver medal at the Cadet World Championships with Stanisław Stefański. He repeated that feat in 1969 in the Tempest class with Roman Rutkowski, and in 1972, they finished second at the European Championships. Holc is a seven-time Polish national champion, including back-to-back titles in the Hornet class in 1964 and 1965.

He represented Poland at two Olympic Games: Munich 1972 (Tempest class – 12th place) and Moscow 1980 (Star class – 12th place).

Holc graduated in 1973 with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Warsaw University of Technology. He served in the Polish Parliament from 1991 to 1993, elected from the Polish Beer-Lovers' Party and later joining the Liberal Programme Club.

Professionally, he held executive roles in various companies, including as CEO of Elektrim-Megadex and as a board member and administrative director at Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa.

Holc has long been active in both national and international sailing organizations, previously serving as Vice President of the PYA and later as Vice President of World Sailing. In 2007, he placed 5th at the Star European Championships alongside Mateusz Kusznierewicz.

In 2001, he was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit for his service.