Poland arrives at the SSL Gold Cup Final Series with a refreshed squad and a clear idea of what it takes to compete on the SSL47. Ranked 13th in the SSL Nations Ranking, SSL Team Poland has qualified directly for the 1/8 Finals, where they will race from 2–5 December in a group that also includes Brazil for now.
After finishing 24th in Gran Canaria in 2023, the Polish team returns to the Final Series with a significantly changed lineup and a strong focus on sailors who bring experience from bigger boats and different sailing disciplines.
At the centre of the campaign is Captain Mateusz Kusznierewicz, one of the most accomplished sailors in Polish history.
Mateusz knows what it means to perform on the biggest stage. He won Poland’s first-ever Olympic sailing medal, taking gold in Atlanta and bronze in Athens, and has claimed four World Championship titles across the Finn, Star, OK-Dinghy and 5.5 classes.
But this campaign is about more than individual achievements. Speaking from the training camp in Grandson in August, Mateusz highlighted the difference between the current squad and the team that competed in 2023.
Back then, the crew was built mainly around Olympic sailors. This time, the selection has put much more emphasis on sailors with experience in larger boats and different types of racing.
“Every hour spent on this boat, practising, the leverage, the performance is coming up.”
For Kusznierewicz, the time on the SSL47 is an essential part of the team's development.
The refreshed Polish squad brings together sailors from a wide range of sailing backgrounds.
Among them is new young crew member Kacper Gwóźdź, who has experience sailing on different large yachts, adding another perspective to a team moving into the nine-person SSL47 format.
And also girl power onboard - Maja Micińska who competes on RC44s racing on the same boat used in one of the most competitive big-boat circuits in the world. Her experience adds another valuable dimension to a team looking beyond a single sailing discipline. The squad also includes Jakub Surowiec, a World Champion in the flying A-Class, bringing high-level multihull experience to the crew.
Different boats. Different roles. Different experiences. But now, all of that knowledge has to come together on one SSL47.
The Polish team used the 2026 SSL Gold Cup Summer Camp in Grandson as an important step in that process.
Training alongside the Hungarian team, the sailors had the opportunity to build their understanding of the SSL47 and develop their teamwork.
For some members, it was their first time sailing together. For others, there was already a history from different boats and campaigns.
As Kusznierewicz explained, the team has a strong group of sailors with experience on bigger boats, making the training time particularly valuable. And the more time they spend together on the SSL47, the more the team can develop its performance.
