Polish Ski Jumpers Fall Short in Wisła: A Surprise Podium Finish

This past Saturday, Marius Lindvik of Norway dominated the Summer Grand Prix competition in Wisła, showcasing his impressive form from the earlier trial series. Lindvik secured victory on Adam Małysz's hill and set a new summer record for the event. The surprise of the day came with an Estonian athlete claiming second place, while Poland's Aleksander Zniszczoł emerged as the top performer among his compatriots. Kamil Stoch, on the other hand, struggled to meet expectations.

Despite south-western Poland facing severe weather conditions, rain on Friday did not disrupt the training events and prologue. Polish jumpers showed promising results, with three finishing in the top ten during the prologue, led by Stoch. However, Dawid Kubacki raised concerns as he encountered difficulties and failed to land correctly, skidding past the barrier on his landing.

Saturday brought more rain, prompting organizers to push forward with the competition. In the pre-competition trial series, the Polish team displayed strong potential. Jakub Wolny finished in third place, closely followed by Kubacki, who, despite jumping further, ended up just behind him. Stoch also had an encouraging trial, landing in seventh place, while Lindvik soared to victory with an impressive jump of 129.5 meters.

In the first competition round, Lindvik continued his exceptional performance with an unbeatable jump of 133 meters. His teammate, Johann Andre Forfang, followed closely behind with 132.5 meters, while Gregor Deschwanden secured third place with a jump of 129 meters. The best Polish jumper, Zniszczoł, achieved 128.5 meters, placing sixth overall.

Wolny and Kubacki also made it into the top ten. Wolny jumped 126.5 meters, landing in ninth place, whereas Kubacki, jumping six meters shorter, benefited from a high point compensation due to challenging weather conditions. Other Polish jumpers in the second series included Paweł Wąsek (11th), Maciej Kot (16th), Kamil Stoch (18th), and Kacper Juroszek (23rd). Unfortunately, Adam Niżnik was eliminated, finishing last in 46th place.

The second series saw Juroszek jump a modest 121.5 meters. Stoch improved significantly with a jump of 125 meters, while Kot came just 2.5 meters shorter. Wąsek shone with an impressive 129.5 meters, temporarily placing him in third, just behind Halvor Egner Granerud and Killian Peier.

Kubacki later took the lead after a jump of 127.5 meters, edging out Peier after coming from a lower take-off. Wolny landed a 127-meter jump, but Kubacki's stay at the top was short-lived, as Tate Frantz reclaimed first place with a jump of 127.5 meters.

Zniszczoł faced the harsh weather and could only manage 121.5 meters, but this was enough to secure him the title of the best Polish jumper in eighth place.

Lindvik ultimately won the competition with a stellar jump of 135.5 meters, marking a new summer record at Adam Małysz's hill. Aigro from Estonia surprisingly placed second, while Deschwanden rounded out the podium. Besides Zniszczoł, French jumper Kubacki finished ninth, ensuring a strong Polish presence in the top ten.

Fans can look forward to more Summer Grand Prix competitions in Wisła, scheduled for Sunday, including the prologue at 13:30, followed by the first competition series at 15:00.