The Polish national ski jumping team has been facing difficulties in accessing the Wielka Krokiew ski jumping hill in Zakopane, a critical training facility for the team. Despite their requests, the team was denied access to the hill, forcing them to train in Wisła instead.
„We’re furious about the conditions we’ve encountered here. It’s a drama,” said Maciej Maciusiak, assistant coach of the Polish national ski jumping team. „For us, it’s unacceptable that we can’t use the Wielka Krokiew facility, which is essential for our team’s preparation.”
The team had requested to train on the hill on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, but their request was rejected by the Central Sports Centre (COS) in Zakopane. The COS cited unfavorable weather conditions, including positive temperatures, sunshine, and rain, as the reason for the rejection.
However, according to Maciusiak, the team was informed that the Wielka Krokiew hill might not be available for training until January 8th, which raises concerns about the team’s preparation for the upcoming World Cup events.
„It’s a shame and a scandal that we can’t use the Wielka Krokiew facility, which is essential for our team’s success,” said Maciusiak. „We’re not talking about just any facility; we’re talking about the best ski jumping hill in the country.”
The COS director, Sebastian Danikiewicz, explained that the facility was preparing the smaller ski jumping hills on Średniej Krokwi, which were completed between December 12th and 14th. However, he failed to address the concerns about the Wielka Krokiew hill, which remains a critical issue for the Polish national team.
The Polish Ski Association (PZN) has scheduled several events at the Wielka Krokiew hill, including the World Cup event on January 17-19 and the Polish Winter Championships on January 11th. It remains to be seen whether the facility will be ready for these events.
In the meantime, the Polish national team will continue to train in Wisła, preparing for the upcoming World Cup events, including the competition in Engelberg on December 20-22. Five Polish skiers, including Kamil Stoch, Aleksander Zniszczoł, Paweł Wąsek, Jakub Wolny, and Piotr Żyła, will participate in the event.
The limited access to training facilities is a significant setback for the Polish national team, which is striving to maintain its position among the top teams in the world. With the World Cup events just around the corner, every minute of training counts, and the team’s inability to access the Wielka Krokiew hill is a significant obstacle.
Key Statistics:
* 5 Polish skiers will participate in the World Cup event in Engelberg on December 20-22
* The Wielka Krokiew hill might not be available for training until January 8th
* The Polish national team has been forced to train in Wisła due to limited access to the Wielka Krokiew hill
* The COS has prepared smaller ski jumping hills on Średniej Krokwi between December 12th and 14th
* The Polish Ski Association has scheduled several events at the Wielka Krokiew hill, including the World Cup event on January 17-19 and the Polish Winter Championships on January 11th.