Poland names six men and two women for World Cup ski jumping opener in Lillehammer

Squad selection

The Polish Ski Federation (PZN) has named the squad for the opening World Cup event of the 2026/27 season in Lillehammer, Norway, from 20 to 22 November. Six men will compete: Klemens Joniak, Maciej Kot, Dawid Kubacki, Kacper Tomasiak, Paweł Wąsek and Jakub Wolny. Anna Twardosz and Kamila Karpiel make up the women's team. Maciej Maciusiak, who coaches the men's A team, made the men's picks, while Marcin Bachleda, coach of the women's squad, chose the two women. The squads trained at camps in Zakopane and Wisła before the decisions were made.

Maciusiak explained the choice in a statement the PZN circulated.

“Current sporting form was the deciding factor. I am convinced the squad was chosen fairly, based on two trials in Zakopane and Wisła.”

Only the last two places were contested by four athletes, and in Maciusiak's words the six selected are the best six for now.

Form behind the picks

The selectors also drew on results from the Summer Grand Prix and the Polish championships in Zakopane. On 17 October at the Wielka Krokiew, Tomasiak finished ahead of Paweł Wąsek and Klemens Joniak. Among the women, Anna Twardosz was the best in that competition, with Kamila Karpiel second, and Karpiel had returned to competition after three years. Twardosz was also the second-ranked woman in the summer Grand Prix. Last season the Polish jumpers struggled in the World Cup and never stood on an individual podium, with Tomasiak finishing as the top Pole in 23rd overall. Tomasiak, now 19, is the country's best jumper.

Who missed out

Piotr Żyła, 39, was left out of the squad after a weaker summer. Żyła and Aleksander Zniszczoł were the two men who lost the contest for the last places to Dawid Kubacki and Jakub Wolny, the coach said. Kubacki and Wolny performed better than their rivals, Maciusiak said, and will travel to Norway. Kamil Stoch, who has ended his career, will not appear in the World Cup this season, while Żyła still competes. The women's places were decided separately, with Bachleda picking Twardosz as the clear favourite.

Calendar ahead

The opening event starts with a mixed team competition on Friday, 20 November, followed by individual competitions on Saturday, 21 November and Sunday, 22 November. Three men's contests are scheduled in Lillehammer, including the mixed event. The same six men are expected to compete at Ruka on 28 and 29 November, the PZN reported, provided nothing unforeseen happens.

The World Cup then moves to Wisła on 5 and 6 December and to Zakopane on 16 and 17 January. The season ends on 21 March 2027 in Planica, Slovenia.