What a blast from 18-year-old Kacper Tomasiak! Career-best qualifier in Engelberg

Eighteen-year-old Kacper Tomasiak delivered a standout jump in Engelberg, flying 136 meters and briefly taking the lead before finishing third in World Cup qualifying—his best result in an evaluated round so far. Despite blustery and changeable wind conditions, all six Polish ski jumpers advanced to the competition round.

Saturday’s event had been marked by tailwinds; Tomasiak recovered from a difficult first series to finish 13th, as Domen Prevc won after Ryoyu Kobayashi’s agonizing wait for the green light. On Sunday the weather shifted but remained unstable, with strong, swirling winds at the jump and gusts reaching around 4 m/s near the takeoff.

In qualifying, Paweł Wąsek (116 m) placed 44th, Dawid Kubacki (119 m) 39th, and Maciej Kot (123 m) 33rd, keeping Polish hopes alive for a full team in the competition—an important marker ahead of selection for the Four Hills Tournament, where Poland will have only five spots. Piotr Żyła had tough conditions, landing at 113 m for 47th. Kamil Stoch produced 120.5 m for 29th but still trailed Tomasiak by over 21 points.

Tomasiak’s 136 m flight—high and controlled—put him in the top three, a career-best in qualifying. Felix Hoffmann won the session with 138.5 m, with Domen Prevc second after a 137.5 m jump from a lower gate. Johann Andre Forfang went a meter farther than Tomasiak but placed fourth. Behind them were notable names such as Stefan Kraft (6th), Timi Zajc (7th), and Anze Lanisek (11th). Japan’s Ren Nikaido was 26th (129.5 m) and Ryoyu Kobayashi 31st after a shorter jump, just ahead of Niko Kytösaho and Kot.

The individual World Cup competition in Engelberg was scheduled for 16:00 local time, weather permitting, with live coverage promised. Polish qualifying placements: 3) Kacper Tomasiak, 29) Kamil Stoch, 33) Maciej Kot, 39) Dawid Kubacki, 44) Paweł Wąsek, 47) Piotr Żyła.