Germany on Kamil Stoch: One Word Was Enough

The article discusses the controversial decision to leave Kamil Stoch out of the Polish team for the World Championships in Trondheim. German sports outlet sport.de described the decision with the single word Paukenschlag, which can be translated as a thunderclap or sensational blow. Despite showing some improvement with 22nd and 16th places in Sapporo, Stoch is currently only 36th in the overall World Cup standings, and his results did not enable him to secure a spot in the championship team.

Coach Thomas Thurnbichler explained that the team selection was based on both the World Cup ranking and the best individual results of the season. The final team includes Paweł Wąsek, Dawid Kubacki, Jakub Wolny, Aleksander Zniszczoł, and Piotr Żyła—whose consistent performance, especially on the small hill, secured his place despite being ranked behind Stoch. The decision has stirred a significant debate in Poland as well as in international media over the selection criteria and overall strategy in ski jumping.