In challenging conditions on the medium hill in Planica, Taja Bodlaj opened the competition for Slovenia, landing at 98 meters and taking Slovenia into the lead after the first group ahead of Norway and Austria, with a difference of 2.4 and 4 points, respectively. Jaka Drinovec continued the excellent performance for Slovenia, jumping 96 meters. Austria moved up to second place with a 3.3-point deficit, while Germany was third, trailing by 12 points after two jumps. In the third group, world champion Tina Erzar extended Slovenia's lead over competitors, reaching 97.5 meters and increasing the home advantage to 22.5 points ahead of Germany, with Switzerland in third, 25.8 points behind. Rok Masle, as the last to jump for Slovenia, landed at 89.5 meters, and Slovenia led with 460.7 points after the first series of the rainy competition under the Ponce. Second-placed Germany collected 455.5 points, and third-placed Austria was only seven-tenths behind.
Taja Bodlaj opened the final series for Slovenia with determination, jumping 97 meters, maintaining a five-point lead over pursuers. Austria was second again, while Germany lagged behind our team by 28 points. In the second group of the final, Drinovec landed at 95.5 meters, pushing Austria to second place, trailing by 5.8 points after Austria's Johannes Poelz jumped 100 meters. Germany was third with a 28.4-point deficit to Austria. Tina Erzar then completed the last jump of the championship at 96 meters, regaining the lead for Slovenia with a 15.7-point advantage over Austria, while Germany trailed by 30.5 points.
Photo: Borut Živulović/BOBO
The title was decided in the last group of competitors, and it was clear that when world champion Stephan Embacher landed at 97.5 meters, Rok Masle would have a tough task to confirm Slovenia's title defense from Whistler. Our young skier landed at 90.5 meters, accumulating 926.3 points, which was 3.9 less than Austria's 930.2, concluding the domestic championship for Slovenia with a silver medal. Germany secured the bronze with a 19.7-point gap, represented by Anna-Fay Scharfenberger, Jannik Faisst, Alvine Holz, and Adrian Tittel.
For Austria, the jumpers were Julia Muehlbacher, Johannes Poelz, Sahra Schuller, and Stephan Embacher, who returns from Planica with three gold medals.
