Poland’s Leader Identifies Major Issue in the Four Hills Tournament: "They Are a Level Above"

The second competition of the Four Hills Tournament took place on New Year’s Day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where Paweł Wąsek secured 16th place. The winner was Austrian Daniel Tschofenig, who took the lead in both the general classification of the Tournament and the World Cup standings. Wąsek admitted that despite making errors at the jump, he improved during flight and was satisfied with his performance.

In addition to Tschofenig's victory, Szwp Ace Gregor Deschwanden claimed second place, and Austrian Michael Hayboeck, who set a new record for the hill with a jump of 145 meters, finished third. This surpassed the previous record held by Dawid Kubacki by a meter. Piotr Żyła ended the competition in 29th place.

Wąsek, as the top Polish contender after two competitions of the 73rd Four Hills Tournament, remarked that he focused on improving launch techniques, particularly on preventing overthinking right before takeoff. "I need to jump automatically before the takeoff, and that was lacking today," he explained.

The atmosphere within the ski jumping team has been tense lately.

Wąsek expressed trust in the training protocol being implemented by the coaching staff, noting improvements in his jumps since summer. "I trust the coach and his training principles," he said, adding that successful competitions bolster confidence. However, he did observe a lack of good atmosphere in the team, which affects the morale of the athletes.

Wąsek aims for more frequent placements in the top ten of competitions, acknowledging that the athletes he is competing against are currently a level above. Despite this, he is trying to focus on his achievements and hopes to see improved results in upcoming competitions.

Looking ahead to the next competitions in Austria, Wąsek admitted that he is not particularly fond of the venues there but hopes to perform better this time with increased confidence. He tends to jump better there in summer than winter, yet he remains optimistic about improving his standings in the forthcoming competitions.