 Star Kids
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Michal Polanowski,
the new Youth Formula World Champion.
Michal did not "just" win the Worlds in Ostia, Italy. He won all the six races, and most of them a comfortable "ocean" ahead of his competitors. At the age of 18, he is simply in a class of his own. Michal is living in the small town of Ciechocinek, near Torun in Poland, and goes to secondary school. He is 186 cm tall and weigh in at 77 kg. The secret to Michal's success is determination and his ability to concentrate and deliver when it counts. He is a member of Mos Warszawa, the same club as World Champion Wojtek Brzozowski, and has been coached by Wojtek's brother Marek, as well as Karol Skurzak.
Only after two weeks of training on a lake, Michal was heading for the sea. His learning curve is remarkable. Why wait.? Young Michal went straight for racing, and finished 16th. in the Polish Youth Championship in 1998,- at the age of 15. From that point onwards, Michal have improved at "warp speed". The year after he finished 5th. at the Polish Youth Championship, and last year he was close to a medal- finishing 5th. at the Funboard Worlds in Greece. And guess what,- he won the Polish Youth Championship as well.
Michal has been practicing a lot this year,- mostly in the Canaries and at lake Garda,
and it is paying off. How about placing 23rd. at Euro Cup in Miedzyzdroje, 9th. in Polish Open FW Championships in Jurata, 9th. in Open German Championship at Sylt, (winning one race) and 7th. at the Polish Open Funboard Championships in Leba. Finishing as the 3rd. Polish contender, he got a bronze medal. Congratulations to our new Youth World Champion. Go for it Michal. You are born in the right place at the right time. We are honored to have you on the Starboard team.
Tor Bakke
Thank you Krzysztof for all the information.
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Zach Lyman
14 years old Zach Lyman won his first race.
Lukas Grodzicki
Disqualified because he was too young.
Oliver-Tom Schliemann
The 10 year old "Naish of Rosas"
Evan Netsch,
The young Freestyle Champion.
Michal Polanowski,
the new Youth Formula World Champion.
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Interview with Michal Polanowski.
(by Dorota Staszewska)
I was born in 1983. Before windsurfing I was very interested in motocross. I was actually planing to start racing on my bike. But just at the same time my parents encouraged me to check windsurfing out. I took my first lesson in August 1998 in Leba. I never came back to motocross, windsurfing was much more fun. After two weeks on the Lebsko lake I was already ready for the Baltic Sea. I stayed in Leba for the whole month and in the end of Summer went to Youth Nationals where I finished in the middle of the fleet. It was not so bad, considering one month experience with windsurfing. In 1999 I started my season in June in Leba again, where I was already able to join Wojtek, Bartek (POL 1111) and Kasper(POL 2) and do regular training with them.
Why do you think you learned to windsurf so quick and what is the secret of your great results?
It's all very simple. It's dedication. I picked it up quickly, cause when I was learning I spent my whole time doing it. It has never changed. When I train it's from early morning till evening. I keep in mind that I want to be the best in the World. I have these kind of dreams. I am seventeen. But I can not wait to compete professionally. I still have to rely on my parents. I hope that the title of World Champion will help me to find sponsorship.
During those three years of windsurfing when did you sail most?
First month and then the whole next Summer I trained in Leba in Poland with Wojtek and guys. We trained in the Lebsko lake and on Baltic. Leba is fantastic for training. We often get 15 knots of wind and medium waves. Wojtek's Dad is our coach, we have training races all days long.
It seems that you are starting to trouble Men fleet. Do you remember the number of races you won with Wojtek, current FW World Champion?
I don't remember the exact number, this year I managed to beat him many times. It started already in May during Polish Funboard Cup where I simply scored two wins in the event. I won the next event, but Wojtek wasn't there. For a while I was a leader of last Nationals in Leba and managed to surprise everyone.
Do you think your ambition to be the best in the World isn't sort of dream to be better than Wojtek?
Oh, yeah and it also gives me a lot of advantage that he is the best on the planet. I mean, all I learnt is from him and I still always train with him. He used to help me a lot with tuning equipment. Nowadays we help each other with it. He also tells me about my tactical mistakes and gives me tips on that. Before windsurfing I had never sailed and never got any kind of that knowledge. I learned a lot last two years and this year I improved my starts a lot. I begin to feel the shifts, the way wind is changing on the course.
What's more difficult: racing in Poland or abroad?
It feels quite the same. Now that so many guys from abroad come to race in Polish ERA events it seems the same. I feel very good when I race in big international fleet. Other Polish racers get lost sometimes in crowded events.
What's most satisfying result till today?
It was not really result.. This Spring at the beginning of season when we've been testing and training in Lake Garda many top guys showed up like Sam Ireland, Buzianis, Jimmy Diaz, Cucchi, Arnon, Jamie and Wojtek and we all were tuning our gear. In the begining we did it groups and then in the afternoon we all sailed together and compared the speed. During that day I was the fastest guy on the Lake. And it was quite funny, cause none of World Cup sailors knew who I was. They were really surprised. Later when we got back to the beach they looked at my equipment and admired it.
But for you it was not surprising they you were going that fast?
No, of course not. This is the way it is going to be. My dream is to be the best,I train hard for it.
What's on your mind when you come to an event?
I just want to win races. It's simple. When I don't win I explain it to myself that I really do windsurf for a very short time and I lack experience other guys have.
Yeah, isn't it sort of discouraging the fact the top guys race for 10 or 15 years and you windsurf just for 3? Or maybe it works the other way?
Formula Windsurfing is a very new class and this is my advantage. I never raced in any other kind of windsurfing. Those best guys have been racing for years, but on many other boards and in many different events. Formula is also new for them. I'd like to add that I think this class will be developing very quickly. We can race almost everywhere with very light wind. Racing is interesting. I feel safe looking into Formula future.
What is your plan for this and next season?
This year will be my last one in high school and major exams for college. Before school starts I need to concentrate on preparations for Worlds to Brazil and then start itself. I would like to score very high, my dream is podium of course.
Then I will have to combine sport with getting education done. My aim in windsurfing is very simple: compete a lot and be as good as possible.
And the final question to the World Champ: how was Ostia?
To be honest, it felt quite lonely. I didn't really raced there. Just a bit of contact at the start, then I was taking off and sailed the whole course by myself, like I'd be training in Leba. I am sort of used to sailing alone.
How about other Polish juniors? Don't they get jealous about your speed? Most of them windsurf and train longer that you do?
We are very good friends, we help each other. We laugh together. We want Polish racers to be the best in the world.
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