Paweł Wąsek has emerged as the new leader of the Summer Grand Prix after a strong performance in Saturday’s competition in Hinzenbach, Austria. With only two events remaining in the series, Wąsek is in a promising position to secure overall victory, following his recent double triumph in Rasnov, Romania, which significantly boosted his morale and points tally.
Tougher Competition in Austria
Unlike in Rasnov, where the field was less competitive, Wąsek faced a more challenging lineup in Austria. The competition in Hinzenbach was marked by unpredictable wind conditions, which caused difficulties for several jumpers, including Italy’s Alex Insam, who made a technical error that resulted in a poor jump. This mistake allowed Wąsek to capitalize and overtake Insam in the overall standings. By finishing 16th in Saturday’s event and with Stefan Kraft not in the top two, Wąsek secured the yellow bib as the series leader.
Aiming for Improvement
Despite his solid performance, Wąsek acknowledged room for improvement. “My jumps were a bit late, not quite at the level of a leader. I need to get more comfortable with this hill, and hopefully, I can improve my 16th place on Sunday, Wąsek told Eurosport. He now holds 278 points, four ahead of Insam, while Kraft sits in third with 245 points.
Polish Ski Jumping Success
Polish ski jumpers have a strong track record in the Summer Grand Prix, with Dawid Kubacki winning the overall title four times and Adam Małysz achieving six podium finishes. Wąsek is now aiming to join this elite group by becoming the fourth Polish jumper to win the series. With just two events left—Sunday’s competition in Hinzenbach and the final event in Klingenthal on October 5—Wąsek is well-positioned to make history for Polish ski jumping.
