Why 18-year-old Pole missed his second jump—coach explains what went wrong

An eventful Saturday in Klingenthal kept Polish fans on edge thanks to 18‑year‑old Kacper Tomasiak. In the first round he delivered an excellent 134‑meter jump and, at the midway point, held a sensational fifth place, confirming that the Vogtland Arena suits him.

Among the other Poles, Maciej Kot (129 m) was 18th at the break, Kamil Stoch (129.5 m) was 20th, and Piotr Żyła (130.5 m) advanced to the final from 27th. Dawid Kubacki and Paweł Wąsek were eliminated after the first round.

The second series did not go Poland’s way. Żyła managed only 122 m and slipped to 28th, Stoch held 20th, and Kot ended 25th. Tomasiak could not replicate his opener; his 126.5 m in round two left him 18th overall—still the best Polish result of the day.

Head coach Maciej Maciusiak explained the key mistake: Tomasiak’s takeoff was “slightly too early,” so “the threshold didn’t give back,” costing crucial meters. Despite the disappointment, Maciusiak emphasized the teenager’s rising stability: even with imperfect jumps, Tomasiak is collecting World Cup points, which deserves credit.

At the front, Slovenia’s Domen Prevc dominated with monster flights of 142.5 m and 143 m, winning decisively and outclassing the field. For the Polish team, Klingenthal again proved difficult—there were flashes of promise, but no result to change the overall mood ahead of the next competition.