Polish Ski Jumpers Weigh In on the TCS Final: Unanimity Lacking

Originally published in Przegląd Sportowy on January 05, 2025

Polish Ski Jumpers Weigh In on the TCS Final: Unanimity Lacking

The question of victory in the Four Hills Tournament has never been as wide open as before the final event in Bischofshofen. Polish ski jumpers attempted to predict the winner of tomorrow's Golden Eagle. “I would put my money on Stefan Kraft because of his experience. I think his mind can handle this best,” remarked Dawid Kubacki.

Paweł Wąsek and Aleksander Zniszczol

The votes leaned towards Stefan Kraft with two votes, Daniel Tschofenig received one, and one more for Jan Hoerl, as predicted by Kubacki, Zniszczol, Thomas Thurnbichler, and Wąsek.

Before the last competition in Bischofshofen, there is exceptionally tight competition at the top of the tournament standings. Stefan Kraft leads, but with just a 0.6-point advantage over Jan Hoerl and 1.3 points over Daniel Tschofenig. In the qualifications held on Sunday, Kraft, the most experienced of the trio, performed impressively.

Polish Jumpers Predict the Four Hills Tournament Winner

The Polish jumpers were asked to predict this year's Golden Eagle winner. “I would set my sights on Stefan Kraft because of his experience. I feel his head can endure this the best, although it’s so tight that it will definitely be a fight to the finish. Anything can happen tomorrow, especially since the weather is expected to worsen. Conditions can shake things up, but if that’s not the case, I would bet on Kraft,” said Dawid Kubacki.

Aleksander Zniszczol echoed this sentiment, emphasizing, “He has been waiting for this for ten years. I think he will perform very well at this jump.”

Thomas Thurnbichler, who has trained with Tschofenig, expressed his hopes for his teammate's success: “I know Stefan can be very strong on this hill, so it will certainly be tough to beat him tomorrow.”

Paweł Wąsek remains steadfast in his support of Jan Hoerl: “I had bet on him before the tournament, and I’ll stick with that.”

The identity of this year’s winner will be revealed on Monday, with the competition set to start at 16:30.