Sebastian Kawa

The "gliding roots" notwithstanding, first sporting activity of Sebastian Kawa was competitive sailing. He was the member of the sailing club "Neptune" sponsored by the local automobile factory (FSM Bielsko). From 8 to 18 years of age he raced in Cadet, Optimist and 420 class. He regularly placed first in National Championships and was representing Poland in World Championships. Sebastian Kawa fondly recalls receiving a trophy from Princess Diana after (2nd place) one of the races off the shore of Wales. As his club (a recurring theme during all his sporting career) did not belong to the mainstream of the power structure of the Polish sport establishment, Sebastian Kawa had to sometimes overcome obstacles caused by petty bureaucratic favoritism.

Sebastian Kawa had won the Champion title in the 18m Class at the 17th European Gliding Championships at Vinon sur Verdon. This is his first major title in the 18m Class. Sebastian Kawa defended the European Champion title in the Standard Class at the 17th FAI European Gliding Championships (2013) in Ostrów Wielkopolski (5–20 July 2013). After to silver medals in Sisteron and Räyskälä in 2014 Sebastian defended again 15m class champion title in Leszno Wilkopolskie Since gliding classes have multiplied ( with 20m class and 13.5m class added recently ) there are two editions of competitions each year and with Sailplane Grand Prix it gives three possibilities to participate in FAI first class events every second year ( except if competition fall at the turn of the year ). In 2015 Sebastian Kawa defended his 18m class title from France winning competition in Őcsény. He claims the busy season did not give a chance to prepare for SGP finals in Varese, resulting in a bronze medal.

17th FAI European Gliding Championships (2013) in Ostrów Wielkopolski (5–20 July 2013). Sebastian Kawa competed in the Standard Class, flying Schempp-Hirth Discus 2a and defending his 2011 Champion title.

In late 2013 Kawa was engaged in a reconnaissance to learn of practical gliding conditions in the high parts of the Himalayas range. The aim was to fly over the highest peaks of Nepal using Schleicher ASH 25Mi glider.

His autobiography and advanced gliding tutorial Sky Full of Heat (English and Polish language editions) was published in December 2012.

By winning his fifth (Grand Prix excluded) World Champion title in 2012 (Uvalde), Sebastian Kawa became the most successful Championships pilot in history, exceeding Ingo Renner's of Australia lifelong record of four championship titles. Since then, Kawa has won five more World Championships, at Chavez ( 2013 ), Leszno ( 2014 ), Benalla (2017), Ostrów (2018) and Hosin (2018).

Sebastian Kawa held a world record for the "Three Turn Points Distance" in World Class in 1999 but this has since been superseded.

From 1992 (win in Polish Junior Nationals in Leszno flying the Junior glider), Sebastian Kawa climbs the ladder of progressively more elite gliding competitions, gradually advancing his placements up to the 3rd place in the 1999 World Championships in the World (PW-5) class and the win in 2003 in the same class. From this moment on, he wins virtually every topmost level competition he starts in, accumulating 9 gold medals at the world championship level and becoming the most decorated gliding pilot in history.

In the meantime, at the age of 16, Sebastian Kawa completed ab-initio gliding training and became (July 1988) a student pilot. For the next 2 years, all while engaged in sailing, he quickly advances in subsequent stages of glider pilot training, logging over 200 hours. In 1989 he gains his first "diamond" to the gliding badge (declared 300 km closed loop flight) and makes the 3 km+ gain of altitude flight. He trains extensively in Pirat, Junior, Foka and Cobra gliders. He also obtained glider ratings for night and instrument flying. During this time, he also commenced extensive cross country flight training. In his biography, Sebastian Kawa credits his father for passing him the knowledge and experience necessary to compete effectively in this sport.

Sebastian Kawa (born 15 November 1972, Zabrze) is a Polish glider pilot, thirteen-time World Champion, world (FAI) leading glider competition pilot (currently number one in the world rankings of the FAI Gliding Commission) and the current World Champion in 15m Class and European gliding champion in 18m Class.