Pure Powder: Does being from Zakopane mean that it was your destiny to become a skier?

Michał Trzebunia: From 50s through 80s skiing was booming in Zakopane, every kid just had to ski. Some were ski jumpers, some were cross country skiers, but everybody had this dream to become an alpine skier. You know what I mean – feeling the wind in your hair, freedom, these kinds of things. If you ended up doing something else, it meant that for some reasons you just could not ski. In my case, a slight sight defect and necessity to wear glasses made it impossible to compete in ski racing. Contact lenses were unavailable back then so I switched to speed skating.

I have a strong speed skating tradition in my family – both parents used to be speed skaters. It turned out that I have certain body features that allow me to be good at it – endurance for example. I raced in middle and long distance races, although I was also quite good in sprints. I was a member of the national team and even became youth Europe’s vice-champion. During all these years skiing was also a big part of my life.