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.