All four Poles found themselves in the TOP 10 unofficial individual classification, and we won the competition after a fierce fight against Germany. And this despite the ending of the competition Piotr Ży³a He got a notes from the judges, only 11.5 and twice 12 points, because he only miraculously saved himself from falling.
It was a beautiful competition in Planica. The last one with Stefan Horngacher as our trainer. IN March 2019 Austrian moved to the German team and is still leading it with success. And we are saying goodbye to the third coach in six years.
President of the Polish Ski Association Adam Małysz and trainer Thomas Thurnbichler On Friday they met with journalists in Planica. They announced that after three years the work of the Austrian ended as the main coach of our team.
In the 2022/2023 season, immediately after the takeover of our national team after Michał Należal, Thurnbichler led Polish jumpers to many wins. But the winter 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 our team had poor. We lowered the flights so much that now – in the last team under the leadership of Thurnbichler – we will certainly not be able to say goodbye to him with victory. And we won't even fight for the podium.
Poland without a chance with Slovenia, Austria and Germany?
Among the ten teams that will compete on Saturday on Lettalnica, higher ratings than our four have Slovenians, Austrians, Germany and probably also Japanese. We do not mention the Norwegians just because after the hardware fraud that was proven during the World Cup in Trondheim, their most important players are suspended. And we should rather win with Norwegian reserves.
On Friday in Planica in the individual competition, 11th place was taken by Paweł Wąsek, 14. Kamil Stoch17. Piotr Żyła, and 27. Aleksander Znobczoł. Our four will perform in the team. In order: Żyła, Dzieńczoł, Stoch, Wąsek. But all in all, the composition of Poland, nor which player in which group will perform. What we would not come up with, we are simply too weak to fight with the best.
It is a pity that during the last team during Thurnbichler's term, we will only be able to sigh with sadness that it used to be …
In 2019, when we said goodbye to Horngacher, the fourth result was individually lived, the fifth belonged to Jakub Wolny, Stoch was in this set eighth, and Kubacki – tenth. In total, our four flew together a note of 1627.9 points, by 8.1 points higher than four from Germany. And the podium was also supplemented by the not far away – because in the team in flights the loss of 24.8 points to the winners is small – Slovenes.
The amazing flight of the vein was a summary
Although the advantage of Poles was much greater if she lived a little shortly shortened his final flight to 242.5 meters and took care of a good landing. For pasting their hands on the jump, the judges gave him very low marks – 11.5 and twice 12 points. But that flight and the whole competition was impressive!
The shortest of eight Polish flights that day was the magnificent 221 meters of Stoch. – Of course, I'm not in great form currently, but I did everything I could – said the three -time Olympic champion later. How does this sound today: it wasn't in great shape? At the end of that winter he wasn't, true. But he finished her third in the general classification of the World Cup. Just before the vein and Kubacki.
Kubacki, after reaching 229.5 and 230 m, said that day that he is feeling unsatisfied when it comes to the meters! But there was really no real hunger. It was our sixth team victory in history, and the first in flights. We sealed it with the second Cup of Nations in the history of Poland. We won the first prize for the best team in global jumps two years earlier, in the debut season of Horngacher.
The Austrian took this second crystal ball with him. We gave her in his appreciation and thanks for being the best coach in the history of Polish jumps.
Horngacher said goodbye. And how will Thurnbichler say goodbye?
– We have achieved a lot of success with the Polish team. We twice turned out to be the best team of the season, once we took third place in the final classification. I am happy about it. This is a special moment for me, because now I am finishing cooperation with the Polish Ski Association. I made the decision not with my heart, but with my mind. I have to think about my future, my family, hence my choice – explained Horngacher, who lived with his family in Germany. And he still lives there.
– I did not expect that I would receive a Cup of Nations from the whole team. Adam Małysz said I deserved it in the last three years. It's a great honor for me – added Horngacher.
What will Thurnbichler get goodbye? Let him have a nice memory after the last team. Him and all of us. The team competition in Planica will take place on Saturday from 9.30. Transmission on TVN, Eurosport and on the Platform Max. Live report on Sport.pl.