Cieślar claims Polish national title 2019
Oct 14, 2019·Nordic Combined
On Sunday, October 13, the Polish Nordic Combined Summer Championships were held in the Beskidy Mountains. Adam Cieślar won the gold medal, his club colleague Szczepan Kupczak came away with silver. Paweł Twardosz completed the podium of the national championship. Over 30 Nordic Combiners joined the event, including six representatives of Norway.
On the HS 104 jumping hill in Szczyrk, Dawid Jarząbek turned out to be the best of the Polish jumpers with an effort of 95 meters. With this result (113.5 p.), he was half a point ahead of Szczepan Kupczak, who also landed at 95 meter. Adam Cieślar achieved 92.5 meters and ranked fifth at the start of the race. However, two of the six visiting Norwegian athletes, who also took part in the competition, claimed the best spots on the result lists. Marius Nordsveen showed 99 metres and collected 120.5 points, teammate Sander Kolberg was second with 96 metres and 113.5 points, the same result as Jarząbek
Then the competition moved to the cross-country trail in the Jasienicka. At the halfway point of the competition, Cieślar had to make up over 20 seconds ib Kupczak but from the first minutes of the race, he began to narrow the gap. The two leading athletes on the Polish team fought among themselves for the gold of the Polish Championships, a fight during which emotions were not lacking. On the last kilometer, Adam Cieślar attacked and got away from Szczepan Kupczak and was finally the first to cross the finish line. Paweł Twardosz reached the third running time which meant the bronze in the national championships.
Sander Kolberg (NOR) ended his race on rank four, Marius Nordsveen was seventh in the final result lists, while their fellow good jumper, Dawid Jarząbek finished on rank six.
For Adam Cieślar, this is the sixth time in his career that he collects the gold medal in the summer championships. “I have a lot of reserves on the hill but I know what I have to work on to make my jumps better. I must admit that in the competition I showed the jumps I can achieve at the moment. Before the race, there were no bigger gaps, thanks to which a lot was happening on the track. It was very interesting, and the fight for the win lasted until the end!”
Szczepan Kupczak stood on the podium for the seventh time in the Polish Summer Championships, and for the second time in his career won the silver medal. “I presented myself quite well in terms of skiing and at the moment, I am happy with my shape. I tried to keep my distance from the attackers but the lonely race for most of the distance took its toll and I couldn't resist Adam's last attack.”
“In the jumping part, I was not at my best, I still lack a lot to jump really well. My improvement on the cross-country track is partly a reason”, he adds. “However, until winter we still have some time for training and I will use it well to improve the last details. I intend to focus more on jumping training again. I hope my plan succeeds. Now it remains to work and wait for results in winter”, Kupczak who performed impressively well in this year’s Summer Grand Prix summed up.
)
