Niké Drops Anchor

in Lower Area of Vítkovice

The world-famous seafarer Richard Konkolski was the first Czechoslovak to sail around the world,

and his Niké is the second smallest vessel in history to have circumnavigated the globe.

Mr Konkolski was born in Bohumín

and studied at a secondary school of

civil engineering. He has always played

various sports, but most of all he has

enjoyed yachting, canoeing, and skiing.

He has taken part in numerous sailing

races. He now lives in Dolní Lutyně,

a municipality in the Moravian-Silesian

Region.

He says, “I still have many plans for the

future and hope for good health which

will help me make them come true.”

Mr Konkolski, your life is rich enough to

write a book about, not just an interview.

54 ǀ POSITIV 1/2020

Which of your achievements is the dearest

to you?

To tell you the truth, the most amazing

aspect of my life is that my marriage has

lasted for 57 years, definitely thanks to my

wonderful wife.

Each of my achievements has its

distinguished value. Speaking of sports,

I really appreciate my twelve world records

and four Yachtsman of the Year awards in

three countries. Other accolades include

awards from the Senate of Rhode Island,

the US state, and from the Senate of the

Czech Republic.

What I find extremely amusing is that, as

a Czechoslovak, I was awarded by the

American president Ronald Reagan, and as

an American by the Czech President Miloš

Zeman.

Are you a “globetrotting” Czech or

American? Or both?

Everybody can explain the word

“globetrotter” in a slightly different way.

I do not feel that I am one. I was originally

interested in representing international

sports for my birth country and sporting

achievements. My first target was a solo

race across the Atlantic, OSTAR 72,

after which I also took part in the race in

1976 and 1980. That was purely a sports

representation job.