Ski jumpers ready for another spectacular show in Ljubno

06. February 2019 Press Releases

The presentation of the Slovenian women’s world cup ski jumping squad, led by Zoran Zupančič, took place today in the lobby of BTC City Ljubljana’s Crystal Palace. The presentation was held right before the world cup competition in Ljubno ob Savinji and included the organisers of the world cup event.

Jože Mermal, President of the BTC, d. d., Management Board

We are in Slovenia’s tallest building, the Crystal Palace, and I wish our ski jumpers as many winning jumps as possible. I wish them wonderful, safe, and long jumps in Ljubno, where you will have incredible fans cheering and supporting you. Ljubno loves women’s ski jumping. I believe that we will truly enjoy these beautiful three days of ski jumping competition to the fullest. Many thanks to all who participated in the event preparations, making sure that the Ljubno ski jump is in a truly excellent condition. We expect a lot from the fans, and the girls will make sure that we will have a great time there – they say that they will bring nothing less than their best game to the competition in Ljubno. Welcome to Ljubno, Planica’s little sister, with the best atmosphere in the world!

Ljubo Jasnič, Chairman of the Assembly and Committee for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined

It is hard to imagine the ski jumping competition in Ljubno without the BTC Company. Thank you also to all the sponsors and journalists reporting on the event. A wonderful three days await us. I’m delighted that Ema Klinec also came to see us today. We have had some bad luck with injuries this season, both in the men’s as well as the women’s team. But all the girls have shown some very good jumps and great competitiveness. Špela and Maja are about to have worthy successors, and I am very pleased about that. It means that Ljubno is here to stay. Good luck to all!

Dr. Franci Petek, Director of the Ski Association of Slovenia

Best of luck to the girls! You are familiar with your home ground, it gives you additional motivation and support. Turn it into positive energy. The world championships are just around the corner, and to have a chance to compete at home just before that is a privilege. Make the best of it! I believe that another terrific weekend awaits us in Ljubno, and I really look forward to it. Good luck!

Franjo Naraločnik, Mayor of the Municipality Ljubno ob Savinji

I bring you the best wishes of the people of Ljubno. The temperature is rising, which is evident on the spot as well as from ticket demand. Once again, we’re preparing the best possible environment, the kind you girls deserve. We are proud of you and your achievements, and I wish that you might even improve upon them in Ljubno this year. That is why we have put forth our best effort to hold a third event this year, together with our sponsors, BTC, the Ski Association of Slovenia, and all our supporters and friends, who have stood by our side since the beginning. The ski jumping hill is ready, the atmosphere will be great, and we look forward to a terrific weekend in Ljubno. I wish to bring this joy also to your hearts, the hearts of the media and the fans.

Rajko Pintar, Chairman of the Ljubno Organising Committee

I’m really happy that we can once again welcome the world ski jumping elite in Ljubno, which has become even better this year. It is my pleasure to announce that the record of competing countries will be surpassed this year. 18 squads and 62 competitors will start in the events. With the exception of Daniela Iraschko-Stolz and our very own Ema Klinec, the entire world women’s ski jumping elite will compete here. Since all good things come in threes, we gave it our best to bring a third world cup event to Ljubno. Now, there are only two team competitions this year, one in Japan and the other in Ljubno. I’m sure that we can look forward to another excellent result by our team. Nine teams are about to start in the race, which is a nice number. We are ready, the competition might as well start today. Everything is ready! We expect a high number of visitors, the demand is high, and the ticket sales are also good. Everything is good. I would once again like to thank each and every sponsor, especially BTC and the Ski Association of Slovenia, for their excellent cooperation in the organisation of this competition.

Zoran Zupančič, Head Coach of the Slovenian Women’s Ski Jumping Squad

Of course there is some nervousness present before a home event. There is a certain tension there for me as well. But we have been in a competitive rhythm since the beginning of the year, without any time to spare. We have kept elevating our performances. Recently, we really achieved some great top ten results. Maybe we’re already a bit impatient, but we have to stay calm in order to achieve what we have been waiting for. We will prepare for the competition as usual. I gather that all the fan support by the home audience will give the competitors just what they need for everything to go according to plan on the ski jump. I will announce the women’s team event squad after Friday’s individual event.

Nika Križnar

The jumps are quite nice, consistent. The technique might be a little lacking, still, specifically the in-flight positioning of the skis, but I’m working on it. Perhaps, if I get a little bit of luck with the wind, the right result will come, too.

Urša Bogataj

For our home competition, I hope that I’ll be able to get two good jumps, ones I’m capable of doing. If I can manage that, the result should be fine.

Maja Vtič

Luckily, everything has started to go in the right direction in the past two weeks. A home competition is something special, it gives you additional motivation. The atmosphere is better here than elsewhere, so I already look forward to this weekend.

Špela Rogelj

I don’t know how many buses of fans will be there. As many as there is room for. For the time being, my jumps aren’t good enough to reach for the top spots. I want to be the best I can be at every competition. The jumps are slowly moving in the right direction, as are the results. You just have to go, jump, and the result will come.

Katra Komar

I very much look forward to the competitions. I hope to get in two great jumps, to show in the competition what I can do in practice.

Jerneja Brecl

I haven’t yet entirely figured out the Ljubno ski jumping hill; I hope it will be different during the competition.

Ema Klinec

I’m happy to be in Ljubljana today. I also have a medical evaluation scheduled for today, and I hope to put the crutches away for good soon after. I’ll be in Ljubno on Friday and Saturday, but I’ll watch the Sunday competition from home. Girls, best of luck to you, I’ll cheer for you to the fullest!

Programme – Ljubno ob Savinji

Thursday, February 7