Hi, I’m Maciek Rutkowski from Poland. I’m 16 years old and live In Slupsk on the Polish seaside. I’ve been windsurfing since I was able to hold a windsurf sail. At first it was quite difficult, cause every sail I tried had the boom cut-out over my head, but when I grew a bit I was able to use normal gear. Anyway, I’ve been windsurfing since I was a really small kind a six-years old or so. My first contact with competitive windsurfing was when I found a surf school signed by the name of Wojtek Brzozowski, which was a step to his father’s professional training camp. There I trained with the best Polish guys like Wojtek, Michael Polanowski or Hubert Mokrzycki. I started competing in Formula Windsurfing when I was around eleven. In the second season I was already starting in Euro-Cups in 100 people fleets as the youngest and smallest of course. From 2003 till now on I’ve been wining medals every Junior worlds in FW. First U15 bronze on Garda, than two times U15 gold and now two U17 golds in Westende 2006 and Tallinn 2007. The same about the Polish champs. Different was only this year when I won four medals there: U20 and U17 gold in Slalom, U20 silver in FW and U17 gold in FW. This year I did my first important event in slalom – the IFCA world. I came 2nd in the U17 fleet having some bad luck, but anyway it’s a great result for me. My big success in 2006 was also the Polish senior 3rd place in slalom, that shocked everyone – myself as well.
My favorite windsurfing spot is definitely Cape Verde for the possibility of doing every discipline you want. Also I love the Polish seaside, El Yaque, Egypt, South Spain, Almanarre and some more. My biggest aim is to be able to win in a couple of disciplines. I got some successes in FW and slalom but I also enjoy wave sailing. In the future I plan to start in this discipline too. This year I sticked some new moves and my waveriding is pretty consistent. I’m not really afraid and with my brother Leszek we push ourselves to the limits – that’s the reason I may do good in waves. I also tried some RS:X. It’s not the most pleasant of all but I don’t quit it and have ambitions to start in that too.
At the end of last year my brother and I started a partnership with Exocet and we’re really happy about it, because the board are really rocking! I also have some deals with Columbus Hotel, Infinity Masts, Hydrosfera Shop, Deemeed accessories and Hurricane Fins. Of course nothing would be possible without my parents who’re still helping me so many thanks!
In personal I’m quite layed-back and sociable
that’s why I got a lot of nicknames and the most popular is Maggol. In my spare time I like to try as many extreme sports as it’s possible like: paintball, cliff&bridge jumping, snowboarding, surfing, dirt windsurfing, skateboarding, wakeboarding and also common ones like: basketball, football, tennis, volleyball. I also try to go to school especially when I started high school this year. When I’m too tired to do anything active I like to read, listen to music, make movies, dj or make some computer graphics.
Next year I’m youth for the first time and I want to get a medal in FW and slalom and also improve myself in wave sailing and RS:X.
See you on the water!
Maciek Rutkowski POL-23
