Wąsek on the Brink of Career Achievement with One Step Left

Paweł Wąsek is on the verge of a significant career milestone as he leads the overall classification of the Summer Grand Prix, following his recent competition on Sunday.

While he didn't secure a spot on the podium, finishing fifth in the latest event, Wąsek managed to maintain his lead heading into the final challenges in Klingenthal. Following an impressive performance the previous day at the Hinzenbach ski jump, he established a commanding position in the summer standings, boasting a five-point advantage over Italy’s Alex Insam, and a solid 33-point cushion ahead of Austria’s Stefan Kraft.

In the first round of the Sunday contest, Wąsek stood in fourth place, just trailing behind compatriot Dawid Kubacki. Austrian Jan Hoerl led the pack in the middle round, followed closely by Germany's Andreas Wellinger. Notably, Wąsek's closest competitors for the overall title were significantly behind him; Insam was in 21st place, while Stefan Kraft was closely nipping at Wąsek's heels with a mere 0.2-point gap separating them.

The second round proved critical for both the individual contest outcome and the overall rankings. Other Polish athletes in the event also contended, with Jakub Wolny finishing in 18th place and Kacper Juroszek in 38th after a jump of 82 meters.

Unfortunately, the Polish team could not clinch a podium finish in the second round. Both Wąsek and Kubacki's jumps fell short of their preliminary performance, with Wąsek leaping only 86 meters and Kubacki 84 meters, concluding the event in fifth and sixth, respectively. Meanwhile, Alex Insam made a significant leap with a 92-meter jump in the second round, securing a 10th place finish.

Stefan Kraft also advanced, matching his previous jump distance of 87 meters to claim a podium position. Ultimately, Wellinger claimed victory, overtaking Hoerl from the first round. Jakub Wolny finished in 15th place.

The silver lining for Polish supporters is that, despite Kraft's third-place finish, Wąsek remains atop the overall standings of the Summer Grand Prix as he inches closer to a potential series victory. He currently holds 323 points, while Kraft has 305 and Insam is at 299. Other Polish competitors also shone, with Dawid Kubacki securing 7th with 172 points and Jakub Wolny rounding out the top ten in 8th place with 165 points.

The final showdown of the series is set for October 5th in Klingenthal, Germany, where Wąsek has a chance to solidify his lead and achieve his career dream.