Disastrous Performance by the Poles in Willingen: Hopes for a Podium Fade

On Sunday in Willingen, Polish ski jumpers had a disappointing day at an international World Cup event. In the qualification round, all members of the Polish team advanced, with Dawid Kubacki ranking highest at 15th with a 129-meter jump. During the main competition, Kubacki improved his jump to 136.5 meters in the first round and maintained the 15th place. Paweł Wąsek, the team leader, delivered a stronger jump of 139 meters and was in ninth place mid-competition, but his performance fell off in the second round to 136.5 meters, demoting him to 17th place overall.

Other Polish competitors struggled as well, with Jakub Wolny finishing 39th, Aleksander Zniszczoł 42nd, and Piotr Żyła 48th. International stars were on form; Daniel Tschofenig impressed with a 150-meter jump in the first round, while Johann Andre Forfang produced an outstanding 152-meter leap in the second series – a jump that was only enough for second place behind a competitor who benefited from a lowered start. Stefan Kraft rounded out the top three with a 143-meter jump. With a heavy dose of disappointment, the Polish team now looks to regroup before their next scheduled World Cup event in Lake Placid.