Wasek Dominates Again at FIS Grand Prix in Rasnov

Pawel Wasek of Poland has claimed his second victory in just 24 hours at the FIS Grand Prix held in Rasnov, Romania. In a thrilling final, Wasek triumphed ahead of Japan's Ren Nikaido and Italy's Alex Insam. As the competition heats up, the race for the coveted yellow bib of the FIS Grand Prix leader is intensifying, with Insam currently holding a slender lead over Wasek.

The third day of the Grand Prix took place under bright sunshine and a comfortable 20°C, providing excellent conditions for competition. Having won the previous day, Wasek faced the pressure of being the favorite for the first time but managed to perform exceptionally well once again.

After the first round, Wasek was leading, closely followed by Insam and Nikaido. In the decisive jump, both competitors challenged Wasek with commendable performances, yet he maintained his composure and secured the victory by a narrow margin of 1.1 points over Nikaido and 2.4 points over Insam.

"Of course, the expectations were high after yesterday's win, but I managed to stay focused. The pressure didn’t really bother me. This hill here in Rasnov suits me well; I've achieved good results here before. With two victories now, this place has become particularly special for me. I'm looking forward to the competitions in Hinzenbach next weekend, which will be an exciting battle for the yellow bib," Wasek shared after his win.

On the other hand, Grand Prix leader Alex Insam expressed mixed feelings about his performance. While he was pleased to retain the lead, he recognized room for improvement. "The results were great, and returning home with the yellow bib is fantastic. However, I’m not entirely satisfied with my performance. In the final today, I was a bit too eager and lost speed towards the end. Pawel’s victory puts him in striking distance in the overall standings, which makes the upcoming competitions thrilling," said Insam. He was enthusiastic about his impressive weekend alongside teammates Lara Malsiner and Annika Sieff, showcasing strong performances from the Italian team.

Ulrich Wohlgenannt was again the standout for Austria, finishing in fourth place after securing second place on Saturday. Andrew Urlaub delivered another top performance for the US team, landing in fifth place. Following him were fellow Poles Jakub Wolny and Kacper Juroszek, who also put in convincing performances.

In a noteworthy result for the French team, Jules Chervet and Ari Repellin shared ninth place, each earning the same score.

Next on the agenda for the ski jumpers are two FIS Grand Prix events in Hinzenbach, Austria, scheduled for next weekend!