Kamil Stoch imagined the World Cup weekend in Engelberg in a completely different way. While he did decently on Saturday (he was 18th), on Sunday we saw very unpleasant pictures. First, Stoch achieved only 113.5 m in the qualifications, and in the competition itself he jumped only one meter further. Effect? 37th place and no promotion to the second series.
Stoch didn't bite his tongue. This is how he summed up the ski jumping in Engelberg. “There was anger and a lot of frustration.”
He told the portal about what he felt after the completely unsuccessful competition skijumping.pl. – After the jump, there was anger and a lot of frustration, but then I sat in the locker room. I haven't felt anything like this for a long time, that I had complete peace and clarity about what I should do now, how I should spend the next time and calmly accept what awaits me. Normally after a competition I'm nervous, I'm full of emotions that are boiling over. And here I had complete freedom, he confessed.
The current season has not been going well for the three-time Olympic champion from the very beginning. His best result was 14th place in a lottery competition in Ruka. In the general classification, Stoch collected only 57 points and is 28th. As he claims, the biggest problem is his mentality. – There were too many desires, attempts and stress in my head. I was nervous that I had to tense up, motivate myself and try to chase, and that wasn't what I wanted – he explained.
Stoch suddenly started talking about resigning. “I would do it”
Now Stoch, like other jumpers, will have time to rest, but in his case it will take a little longer. The prestigious one starts after Christmas Tournament Four Hills. The ski jumper from Ząb was officially included in the Poles' squad for this event. This happened for the first time in 16 years. He will be replaced in the squad David Kubacki. It turns out that this was the will of the person concerned. – Kamil Stoch decided that he did not feel ready to take part in the Four Hills Tournament. After the holidays, he wants to have a training period. His return is an open matter, explained coach Thomas Thurnbichler, quoted by the Polish Ski Association.
Before the decision was announced, Stoch himself announced that he did not intend to give up and declared he would fight later in the season. He wants to show that individual preparations with Michał Dolezal and Łukasz Kruczek paid off. – If I had not been aware of the work done in the summer and autumn, as well as my potential, I would have resigned with a clear conscience. With a heavy heart, but I would do it. However, I took up the challenge and I believe in the success of this mission. I am constantly aware that it is all within me. The potential and the base built, it's just about unleashing it. Recently, unfortunately, my head has been filled with too much unnecessary stress. It was a loop of pointless competition. I stepped into something I really wanted to avoid this season – he summed up in an interview for skijumping.pl. The Four Hills Tournament starts on December 28 with qualifications in Oberstdorf, Germany.