Czech team heads to Finland for last camp

With the season start in Ruka right around the corner, many teams are drawn to the north to get some snow under their skis and the Czech team is no exception.

Six athletes, Lukas Danek, Miroslav Dvorak, Ondrej Pazout, Tomas Portyk, Jan Vytrval and David Zemek headed to Vuokatti and Ruka together with coaches Vladimir Smid and Marek Sablatura. Two minibuses full of equipment went on their long drive earlier, so that technicians Miroslav Kopal and Petr Lampa, as well as physiotherapist Ladislav Vencalek can work with the athletes on location.

“We did not nominate Martin Zeman as he is struggling with some health issues at the moment”, Sports Director Tomas Slavik explains. “In the first phase of training, we will be active in Vuokatti, together with the Czech Cross-Country team. In the second phase, we will go to the jumping hills in Ruka to have some jumping sessions. We will be together with the Finnish team, who have a significant performance boost to show for in the recent past.”

The Nordic Combined team will return for a last, short stay at home on November 17 and return to Ruka on the 22nd of November for the World Cup start and the Ruka Tour, a first highlight of the winter.

“Four Czech athletes will travel back up to Ruka: Danek, Dvorak, Pazout and Portyk. We have three quota spots in the World Cup, so we assume that Dvorak and Portyk will take part in every competition and the two youngsters will rotate. In Lillehammer, the first team event of the season is on schedule and so everyone can start”, Slavik added.