A surprise result marked the opening of the 2025 Columna Medica Baja Poland, as Lithuanian duo Aivaras Kavaliauskas and Mykolas Paulavičius (Can-Am Maverick X3) set the fastest overall time on the spectacular prologue stage in Szczecin. Meanwhile, in the premier FIA European Cup classification, pre-event favorites Krzysztof Hołowczyc and Łukasz Kurzeja (MINI JCW Rally 3.0i) took the win, earning the crucial privilege of choosing their road position for Saturday’s long special stages.
Columna Medica Baja Poland is a multi-faceted sporting event and a staple of the European cross-country season. In addition to being a key round of the FIA European Cup for Cross-Country Bajas (EBC), the event also hosts competitors fighting for points in the FIA Central Europe Zone Championship (CEZ) and the national championships of Poland (RMPST) and the Czech Republic (MMCR). The demanding stages also welcome participants from the Polish Cross Country Cup, as well as motorcycle and quad riders competing in their respective Polish Baja Championships and Cups. The event, organized by the Baja Poland Foundation, also serves as an accessible platform for amateur crews taking their first steps in rallying as part of the Can-Am Baja Promo series.
As in previous years, this year’s edition has attracted an impressive international field of 208 competitors from 13 countries. In the main FIA European Cup classification, 23 crews are competing, while 48 duos have entered the Polish Championship. The field is complemented by 13 motorcyclists and 8 quad riders. The entry list features a full spectrum of machinery—from state-of-the-art Ultimate T1+ cars known from the Dakar Rally, through production-based Stock vehicles, to a large and agile field of SSVs and a single powerful truck.
GĄSIOROWSKI AND SZAŁĘGA FASTEST IN SHAKEDOWN
Before the competitive action began, crews had a final chance to fine-tune their machines on the morning shakedown stage. The quickest crew during the warm-up were Grzegorz Gąsiorowski and Katarzyna Szałęga (Polaris RZR Pro R). The current leaders of the Polish SSV championship were two seconds faster than Maciej Giemza and Rafał Marton (Polaris RZR PRO R Ultimate). Among the FIA European Cup crews, Adam Kuś and Dmytro Tsyro (Taurus T3 Maxx) set the best time, placing them fourth in the overall shakedown classification.
LITHUANIAN CHARGE ON THE SZCZECIN PROLOGUE
At 4:20 PM, the competitive action got underway. The first timed test was the prologue stage, which once again featured the spectacular Can-Am Jump, sending cars, bikes, and quads flying through the air.
Following the motorcycle and quad riders, the car crews took to the stage. As expected, Krzysztof Hołowczyc and Łukasz Kurzeja, debuting the new petrol-powered MINI John Cooper Works Rally 3.0i, immediately set the pace. The Poles held the provisional lead for much of the session until a stunning run by Aivaras Kavaliauskas and Mykolas Paulavičius. The Lithuanians, competing in the Polish Championship, stormed through the stage, eclipsing the time set by the nine-time Baja Poland winner by an incredible 15.4 seconds.
As a result, Hołowczyc finished second in the overall RMPST classification but crucially secured victory in the FIA European Cup category. Second place in the EBC classification went to Michał and Julita Małuszyński (MINI John Cooper Works Rally 3.0i, +10.1s), with Kuś and Tsyro rounding out the top three and taking the lead in the Challenger T3 category.
In the other classes, Grzegorz Szwagrzyk and Paweł Wojtczak (Mitsubishi Pajero) took an early lead in the Stock group, while Gąsiorowski and Szałęga dominated the SSV category.
TACTICS SET FOR DECISIVE SATURDAY STAGES
The top ten finishers from the prologue in the FIA European Cup classification earn the right to choose their starting position for the next leg—a key element of rally strategy. As the winner, Hołowczyc had first choice and opted to open the road, starting first on Saturday. Michał Małuszyński will follow him, with the Lithuanian duo of Benediktas Vanagas and Aisvydas Paliukenas starting third.
On Saturday, crews face the longest and most demanding stages of the rally on the Drawsko Pomorskie military proving grounds. The car crews will tackle two passes of the 149.75 km stage.
Columna Medica Baja Poland 2025 – FIA EBC Classification after Prologue (8.87 km):
1. Hołowczyc/Kurzeja (POL/POL, X-raid MINI JCW Rally 3.0i) 07:40,3 s
2. Małuszyński/Małuszyńska (POL/POL, X-raid MINI JCW Rally 3.0i) +10,1 s
3. Kus/Tsyro (POL/UKR, Taurus T3 Maxx) +13,0 s
4. Vanagas/Paliukėnas (LTU/LTU, Toyota Hilux) +13,7 s
5. Kaczmarski/Magalhães (POL/PRT, Toyota Hilux Overdrive) +16,4 s
6. Zapletal/Sykora (CZE/CZE, Ford F150 EVO) +22,8 s
7. Kotwica/Jędrzejewski (POL/POL, Taurus T3 Maxx) +27,2 s
8. Grajek/Goleniewski (POL/POL, Toyota Hilux) +33,0 s
9. Becx/de Graaff (NLD/NLD, Century CR7) +38,3 s
10. Lekavičius/Liskus (LTU/LTU, BRP Can-Am Maverick R) +42,5 s
Columna Medica Baja Poland 2025 – RMPST Classification after Prologue (8.87 km):
1. Kavaliauskas/Paliavičius (LTU/LTU, Can-Am Maverick X3) 07:24,9 s
2. Hołowczyc/Kurzeja (POL/POL, X-raid MINI JCW Rally 3.0i) +15,4 s
3. Giemza/Marton (POL/POL, Polaris RZR PRO R ULTIMATE) +16,2 s
4. Wiatr/Janda (POL/POL, Ford F150) +23,1 s
5. Małuszyński/Małuszyńska (POL/POL, X-raid MINI JCW Rally 3.0i) +25,5 s
6. Pietranek/Świerczek (POL/POL, Polaris RZR PRO R) +27,0 s
7. Kus/Tsyro (POL/UKR, Taurus T3 Maxx) +28,4 s
8. Gąsiorowski/Szałęga (POL/POL, Polaris RZR Pro R) +32,7 s
9. Matczak/Kordala (POL/POL, Polaris RZR PRO) +32,7 s
10. Sokołowski/Marciniak (POL/POL, Can-Am Maverick X3) +34,0 s
