Adam Małysz Dropped a Bomb, Alexander Stoeckl Had Enough – But That’s Not the Worst

For nearly two years Polish ski jumping has been in a state of disarray – and that’s not the worst part. It appears that the establishment has settled in, leaving little hope for a breakthrough. Meanwhile, the World Cup weekend in Sapporo, which could have been very important for many reasons, turned out to be anything but. Perhaps one person will return in a slightly better mood with a last-minute ticket to the World Championships in Trondheim. However, Kamil Stoch undoubtedly imagined this season differently; he did not launch a revolution merely to scramble onto a plane at the last minute for an event without any guarantee of participation.

Thomas Thurnbichler is due to announce the ski jumping team for the World Championships in Trondheim. The president of the Polish Ski Association, Adam Małysz, recently stated on the show “Mission Sport” that only the best would be chosen. Yet the truth is: when the Austrian federation lists names like Paweł Wąsek and Piotr Żyła – jumpers who have been underperforming this season but are eligible as current world champions on a normal hill – the selection can feel like a lottery. No matter what method is used – whether averages, training jumps, or otherwise – there seems little hope of a big win. Małysz is well aware of this, and it is likely why he “dropped bombs,” prompting a tsunami of reaction in Polish ski jumping when Alexander Stoeckl slammed papers on his desk and declared he was done working in our country.

What Could Spoil the Uproar at the Polish Ski Association? The Atmosphere? No Way

Perhaps this situation could have been handled differently. Adam might have bitten his tongue and discussed the issues privately instead of on TVP Sport and here, and Alexander, being a seasoned professional, did not need to take offense so dramatically. Some opinions suggest that such an outburst just two weeks before the World Championships will not bode well for the team – but then again, what is it going to spoil? The atmosphere? No doubt about it.

We have a world-class jumper like Wąsek and a group of average jumpers today – some who occasionally score a few points and others who fail to make the second round. Of course, a miracle could occur and we might see a revamped team in Norway; however, that would be a matter of faith rather than rational criteria, since none seem apparent. The most heated debates concern the most renowned – and by age, the oldest jumpers. Both Stoch and Maciej Kot went to Sapporo, and according to many, they battled for a spot on the team. Kamil, after calm training sessions with his own staff, and Maciej – following a win in the Continental Cup – faced off over three days; by objective measures, Kamil emerged as the better of the two, even if his “victory” was only marginal, since the competition was from the lower tier of events. This poor performance is not exclusive to him and Maciej; it also plagues Piotrek and Dawid Kubacki, each arriving via different routes and underscoring that the problem does not lie solely with the coaches.

They Work Differently, but One Thing Unites Them: They Are Weak

Before the season began, Stoch opted to form his own team – avoiding Thurnbichler – and instead relying on Michal Doleżal and Łukasz Kruczek and even working outside the national setup. Meanwhile, Kubacki and Żyła were not inclined to follow Thurnbichler’s advice, and Kot continues to train with the national group.

It is possible that one or more of these athletes might miss the flight to Norway – although in the current situation this would be largely symbolic for Polish ski jumping. The biggest tragedy, however, is that among jumpers aged 20 to 30, there is no one aside from Wąsek around whom we could build real hope. The legacy of the great four, who delivered historic successes greater than anyone had ever predicted when Małysz ended his career in 2011, remains untouchable in the annals of history. If they can add even one more success, it would be a welcome bonus – but they cannot jump forever, and not much happens behind the scenes.

I hear that talented juniors are emerging. That is great news, yet with these young athletes come many unpredictable variables. For now, however, there is a massive void.

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